Sawyer's Adventure: Behind the Scenes
by sinnohanvulpix
Summary: This story follows the untold adventures of Ash's rival Sawyer from the XY/XYZ series. See how the experience he gains throughout his untold journey and his determination to follow his dream shapes him from a beginning trainer to one of Ash's toughest rivals yet.
1. A Ripple of Excitement

We are about to embark upon the story of a ten-year-old boy from the Hoenn region's Littleroot Town… Yes, I am going on this journey with you, so bear with me. I can be a bit snarky at times.

The first thing that was seen when the screen turned on was a fresh, little pond, surrounded by a group of young and healthy plants. A tiny little raindrop then slid its way from a leaf, into the pond, as more raindrops began to accompany it. Each of these drops of rain created a ripple within the crystal-clear water, as a soothing jingle began to play in the background. The camera then slowly shifted upward, revealing the image of a Legendary Pokemon!

"Want your water to look as fresh as this pond?" the television advertiser asked. "Try our Suicune-Sweet Water Purifier!" The screen then revealed a small, turquoise appliance, decorated with the image of a Suicune, an elegant, blue Pokemon. This mammalian Pokemon had a thick, purple mane flowing behind its head, and was well-known for its ability to purify dirty water with a single touch. "It's not just any kind of sweet. It's _Suicune_-Sweet!"

Unfortunately for the advertiser, this product was not Suicune-Sweet enough to grab Sawyer's attention. The product had already been around for two years, and this green-haired, vest-sporting ten-year-old had many other things on his mind. One of those things included getting ready for his upcoming Pokemon journey. Another was setting the time on his clock, so he could wake up at the right time to receive his starter Pokemon.

Just a couple years prior to this moment, Sawyer had never thought he would be spending so much time preparing for a Pokemon journey, let alone a journey at all. For as long as Sawyer could remember, he had lived alone with his mother Aurora, who dreaded the idea of traveling a long distance due to her fear of airplanes. His father Jasper, on the other hand, rode on airplanes quite regularly, as part of his job as a Pokemon researcher. He studied the alternate forms of various Pokemon and why they alternate between these forms. The only problem was that each of the specific Pokemon he studied was either native the regions of Sinnoh or Unova, none that were native to Hoenn. This meant that he only got to visit Sawyer and Aurora a few times a year. Traveling had not been a big desire of Sawyer's due to his lack of knowledge of what was out there in the world, and especially due to Aurora's strong disliking toward it. That was, until his ninth birthday.

Just as Sawyer began thinking back to his ninth birthday, the commercial break came to an end. "Welcome back to our final round battle of the Champion League, between the one and only Champion, Wallace, and this year's Hoenn League Championships winner, Steven!" the announcer proclaimed.

The mention of Steven's name immediately grabbed Sawyer's undivided attention. "Yes! This is it!" he squealed, beginning to lose his balance on the ladder he had been standing on. "Woah!" Realizing he was about to fall backward, he quickly began swinging his arms, hoping he would straighten up. But it was too late. Sawyer tumbled backwards, though he landed safely on his bed.

"Is everything okay, Sawyer?" Aurora cried, calling out to her son from downstairs.

"Yeah, don't worry. Everything's fine," Sawyer assured her. In fact, even after that shock, he was more than fine. This was the moment he had been waiting for since the week of his ninth birthday when Jasper had taken Sawyer on his first-ever plane ride to see the Hoenn League Championships. Not only was the thrill of traveling to Ever Grande City a big part of what made that birthday so incredible, but he also got to witness a Pokemon battle for the very first time in his life. Seeing the amount of skill and strategy put into each of the battles he watched, Sawyer was quite intrigued. What intrigued him the most however was when he got to watch Steven Stone battling alongside his unstoppable Metagross. Not only was this team remarkably strong, but they also had the ability to Mega Evolve. Through this phenomenon, and through the use of two special stones, a trainer could allow their Pokemon to transform, temporarily giving them a massive boost in power. Mega Evolution was also one of the focuses of Jasper's research. Sawyer was absolutely astounded when he got to see this live from the bleachers, so much so that he insisted on watching every single one of Steven Stone's League battles. Just as Sawyer had expected, Steven ended up winning the whole competition. He had now made his way to the final round of the Champion League after multiple fierce battles, all of which Sawyer had watched on television. It was now down to the wire, and the outcome was anyone's guess!

"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer said. "We are now down to our final Champion League battle, between Wallace's Milotic, and Steven's Mega Metagross! The outcome of this battle will decide if Wallace remains the Champion of Hoenn, or if Steven takes his place!"

"Now, Milotic! Use Hydro Pump!" Wallace commanded.

"_Miloooo!_" Wallace's cream-colored, serpentine Pokemon lifted its head and summoned blue orb of energy. A powerful blast of water then came firing from that orb toward Metagross.

"Metagross! Use Protect!" Steven ordered.

"_Meta!_" Steven's silver-colored, robotic Pokemon roared, as it surrounded itself in a turquoise energy barrier. The blast of water then bounced off the barrier, leaving Metagross completely unharmed. The blast did, however, create a colossal smoke cloud, engulfing both Milotic and Metagross.

"By using Protect, Metagross shields itself completely from one of Milotic's strongest moves! What will Steven do now?" The announcer asked.

"Metagross! Use Flash Cannon!" Steven shouted.

"_Meta!_" Within the smoke cloud, Metagross fired a powerful beam of grey energy that successfully struck its opponent.

"In the midst of that smoke cloud, Metagross launches a red-hot Flash Cannon! Could this be it for Milotic?" the announcer asked.

The camera then zoomed in on Wallace's Pokemon, who was lying unconscious on the battlefield. "Milotic is unable to battle! Metagross is the winner! Which means Steven wins the match!"

"And there you have it!" the announcer declared. "Mossdeep City's very own Steven Stone has now earned the prestigious title of Hoenn Champion! Let's give this brilliantly gifted young trainer a huge round of applause!"

Sawyer could not believe his eyes. Only one week before the day he was to officially become a Pokemon Trainer, he got to see the trainer who inspired him to do so in the first place defeat the Champion. It was truly a one-of-a-kind experiencing getting to watch the trainer he looked up to before he was famous, earning the highest title a Pokemon Trainer could receive. After watching that battle, Sawyer's ultimate goal became clear to him. His goal was to win all eight Hoenn Gym Badges, so he could compete in the Hoenn League Championships. After winning the Hoenn League, he would then compete in the Champion League, and challenge Steven to an official League Battle. While he knew it was going to be a long road, nothing was going to stop him from trying. He was assured that with enough experience and determination, he and his Pokemon would one day be able to reach Steven's level.

The following week, Sawyer had arrived just in time to Professor Birch's lab to receive his starter Pokemon. As soon as Sawyer walked through the door, the bearded professor greeted him with a friendly smile. "Ah, you must be Sawyer," he said. "I take it you're here to choose your first Pokemon, is that right?"

"That's right," Sawyer said, nodding his head while shaking with excitement.

"Then you've come to the right place. Let me introduce you to these three starter Pokemon. Come on out!" The professor shouted, throwing three red and white capsules up into the air. Each of the Poke Balls then popped open, as three small Pokemon emerged from them in a brilliant flash of blue light. They each landed gently on the counter that the professor was standing behind, as they looked over at Sawyer with much excitement. "These are your three choices. Treecko, a Grass-Type, Torchic, a Fire-Type, and finally Mudkip, a Water-Type." On the left side of the counter stood a light-green, reptilian Pokemon, the middle an orange and yellow, feathery Pokemon, and on the right side, a blue, quadruped Pokemon. Each one of the young Pokemon gazed up toward the ten-year-old boy with glistening eyes. "Have you decided which one you will pick?" Professor Birch asked.

"You bet!" Sawyer replied confidently, as he walked up toward the left side of the counter, where the green, reptilian Pokemon was standing. "Treecko, I choose you. My name's Sawyer. I want to learn as much as I possibly can about Pokemon by going on a Gym Battle journey, and then one day, challenge the Champion Steven Stone to an official League battle! What do you say we work toward that goal together?"

Treecko's eyes began to widen, as a big smile spread across its face. "_Treecko!_" The Pokemon cried, raising its fist up into the air.

"Well, it seems Treecko is just as eager to go on this journey as you are, Sawyer," Professor Birch remarked, pleased from seeing Treecko's greatly enthused reaction. "Oh yeah. Before you go, I'd like you to take these Poke Balls." In the Professor's right hand was a collection of Poke Balls, though they were shrunk to the size of his fingertips rather than the usual size of his palm. He then held out a sixth Poke Ball in his left hand. "And this here is Treecko's Poke Ball," he stated.

"Thanks very much, Professor!" Sawyer cheered, taking the Poke Balls and putting them all into one of the pockets on his shorts.

"You be sure to take good care of Treecko, okay?" the professor said.

Sawyer nodded with a confident smile on his face, before turning toward his new Pokemon. "Alright, Treecko, you ready to go?" he asked.

"_Treecko!_" Treecko cried joyously, raising its fist into the air once more. Just looking at those two together, Professor Birch could easily tell that Sawyer and Treecko were going to make a great team. There may have been a long road ahead of them, but one thing was for certain. No matter what lay ahead of Sawyer and Treecko, they planned to pursue each and every challenge with everything they had.


	2. Have Your Taillow Up

Almost a week had passed since the start of Sawyer and Treecko's journey. As they traveled between Littleroot and Oldale Town, the two of them had encountered several trainers and Pokemon. While Sawyer was familiar with the types of Pokemon he was battling against, thanks to the amount of time he had spent studying them prior to his journey, there was still one thing that he struggled with: timing.

As a young child, Sawyer had spent much of his time playing role-playing games on his Gameboy Advance. He loved the strategy aspect of these games, as well as the adventure, and that was exactly what this journey felt like to him: an enhanced RPG. The main difference was that timing had become a key element in battling, whereas, in RPGs, he was able to take as much time as he needed to plan a strategy before making his next move. Real-life battling was a huge change of pace for him.

Although his weak timing had cost Sawyer many battles, he did not mind that much. In fact, he saw value in each one of those losses, as they gave him the chance to recognize what went wrong and figure out how he could fix it. Ever since he was very young, Aurora had always encouraged him to look for the positives in a negative situation and write down the things he could do to make a situation better or fix it. This gradually became an everyday habit of Sawyer's, which he even put to good use on his journey. Using a notebook that he carried around specifically for his journey, he was able to jot down anything that he learned throughout his adventure that would help improve his skills as a trainer. After each battle, Sawyer would make note of what he noticed during the battle that would help him and his Treecko become stronger. Looking back at these notes allowed the two of them to achieve more and more victories as they got more and more experience.

While Sawyer had gotten quite a lot better at battling trainers, there was still one thing that he continued to struggle with: catching Pokemon. When it came to catching Pokemon, timing was everything, and there did not seem to be many ways around catching Pokemon when they could easily flee from the battle. While this may have left Sawyer discouraged, he was still determined to keep on trying, just as Treecko was.

Sawyer and Treecko soon arrived in Petalburg City, the next town over from Oldale Town. Although Sawyer knew that Petalburg City was not one of the biggest cities out there, it still seemed giant when compared to the small and quiet Littleroot Town. While the town was quite a lot bigger than what Sawyer was used to, it did not take him too long to locate the Petalburg Gym. In front of him and Treecko was what appeared to be both a Gym and a house, with white walls, a wooden door, and a Poke Ball logo sitting on the top. "Okay, Treecko. Here we are," Sawyer said, looking down toward the Pokemon who was standing on his left. "Ready for our first Gym Battle?"

"_Tree,_" Treecko replied, nodding its head.

"Huh?" Sawyer then noticed a sign attached to the wooden door. He walked up toward it and began reading it aloud to Treecko. "This is the Petalburg Gym Leader, Norman. I regret to inform you that the Gym is closed at the moment. I am currently on a trip to the Sinnoh region, to cheer on my daughter at the Sinnoh Pokemon Contest Grand Festival. I will be back on Thursday. Sorry for the inconvenience." Sawyer's eyes widened in shock. After several days of traveling from town to town, he had missed his chance to challenge the Gym Leader, just when he had thought his first Gym Battle was around the corner. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh of disappointment. "And we can all this way…" he muttered.

A few seconds following this upsetting discovery, Sawyer jumped as he sensed his Pokemon crawling up his leg, and soon to his shoulder. "_Treecko, Treecko,_" the Pokemon said, giving its trainer a consoling smile.

"Thanks a lot, Treecko," Sawyer said, smiling back at his Pokemon. Although it was a surprise having Treecko unexpectedly climb up toward his shoulder, it comforted Sawyer to know that he had Treecko by his side to cheer him up. "You know, the Petalburg Gym Leader's supposed to be really strong. Maybe we should start by challenging the Rustboro City Gym instead, then come back to this Gym when we're ready," he suggested.

"_Treecko, Tree,_" Treecko said, nodding its head in agreement.

"In the meantime, why don't we try catching some Pokemon in the Petalburg Woods?" Sawyer asked.

"_Treecko!_" Treecko cheered, ready to do just that.

As Sawyer walked through the thick forest near Petalburg City, he carefully kept his eyes out for wild Pokemon that may have been lurking nearby. While it may have taken him a while to spot a Pokemon, he still believed it was worthwhile getting to see what a forest looked like in person. He had only been on his journey for a week, and he had already traveled further than he had ever traveled before, aside from his trip to the Hoenn League Championships. To him, getting to experience being in new environments was just as exhilarating as battling.

After about five minutes of walking, Sawyer finally spotted a wild Pokemon: a Slakoth. This small Pokemon had shaggy, grey fur, a pink nose, and half-closed eyes. As it laid down, sprawled out on the grass, it sluggishly reached its claw out toward a nearby plant and grabbed one of its leaves. Slowly but surely, it then tugged against the leaf and yanked it out from the plant. It then guided the leaf into its mouth and began to chew lazily on the leaf while resting its head on top of its arms. Sawyer, watching all of this taking place, began to yawn. He remembered doing research on Slakoth and learning about its ability to make anyone who looks at it drowsy. Regardless of how drowsy he may have felt, he knew this was no time for a nap. He was determined to catch Slakoth, and that was just what he was going to do! "Alright, Treecko! Let's go!" he shouted, throwing his Poke Ball forward, as his Pokemon emerged in a flash of blue light. Slakoth opened its eyes and faced Treecko, ready to battle. "Treecko! Use Pound!"

"_Treecko!_" Treecko roared, jumping up into the sky and preparing to slam its tail into its opponent. Slakoth intercepted its attack by lifting its claw, and slashing Treecko's tail, sending it flying backward.

"Wow, it's tough," Sawyer remarked. "Okay then, Treecko! Use Bullet Seed!"

"_Tree… Ko! Ko! Ko!_" his Pokemon said, summoning an orb of light green energy in its mouth, then firing countless seeds toward Slakoth.

As Slakoth endured the attack, Sawyer reached into his pocket and grabbed a Poke Ball. "Now's our chance!" he declared. "Poke Ball, go!" Sawyer threw his Poke Ball toward Slakoth, causing it to disappear in a flash of red light. A few seconds later, however, the Poke Ball popped open, and Slakoth escaped. "It didn't work!" he exclaimed.

"_Slaaaa-koth!_" Slakoth cried, surrounding itself of a veil of electric sparks, before firing a blast of electricity toward Treecko.

While the attack did not cause much damage, both Treecko and Sawyer were shocked after seeing such a powerful move being used by a wild Pokemon. "It knows _Thunderbolt?_" Sawyer asked. "Alright, then! Treecko, use Mega Drain!"

"_Treeee…_" Treecko opened its mouth, as a cluster of white energy began to gather in front of it. "_Ko!_" It then launched a swirling beam of green energy toward Slakoth and trapped it inside the beam. The green energy then turned dark red and absorbed Slakoth's strength. The red energy was sent back to Treecko, causing it to glow white and restore its own strength.

"Alright, now!" Sawyer declared, holding up another red and white capsule. "Go Poke Ball!" Sawyer hurled the Poke Ball at the weakened Slakoth, causing it to disappear once more. As the Poke Ball shook back and forth, Sawyer tightened his fists, hoping that it would work this time. Sure enough, the Poke Ball stayed closed, and emitted a yellow sparkle, showing that the capture was successful. "We did it…" Sawyer mumbled, letting what had just happened sink in. He had finally caught a Pokemon, just as he had been hoping for since the beginning of his journey. "Yes! Treecko, we did it! We caught a Slakoth!" he squealed.

"_Treecko! Treecko!_" his Pokemon cheered, equally as exhilarated as Sawyer was.

Sawyer then ran up toward Slakoth's Poke Ball and held it firmly in his hand. This was it. This was one of his first steps toward becoming a strong, competent trainer. He knew he would remember this moment for the rest of his life.

Suddenly, Sawyer saw another wild Pokemon swoop down from a tree. That Pokemon was a Taillow, a tiny, dark blue bird Pokemon with a red face, and fierce look in its grey eyes. "_Taillow, Tai!_" It growled at Sawyer's Pokemon.

"_Treecko, Tree!_" Treecko growled as well, as Sawyer stood where he was, not sure what the two Pokemon were saying to each other.

"Treecko, what's wrong?" Sawyer asked.

"_Tree! Treecko, Treecko!_" Sawyer's Pokemon responded, pointing toward Taillow, then throwing multiple vigorous punches.

Sawyer recalled researching Taillow and remembered that seeing a strong opponent will always make a Taillow want to battle. Once he had remembered that, it all became clear to him. "I get it," Sawyer said with a grin on his face. "You want to battle against that Taillow, don't you?"

"_Tree,_" the Pokemon replied, nodding its head.

"Alright, Treecko! Use Mega Drain!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Treeeeeeeecko!_" Treecko shouted, summoning a cluster of white energy, then turning it into a light green energy beam. Taillow swiftly winged its way around the attack, then swooped down toward Treecko, and tried to get close enough to deliver a Peck attack. Treecko tried to keep its distance, though that did not last long. Once it did get close, the series of pecks caused Treecko to flinch.

"Treecko, quick! Use Bullet Seed!" Sawyer hollered.

"_Tree… Ko! Ko! Ko!_" Treecko cried, firing another blast of seeds toward its opponent and landing a successful hit. As Taillow was sent flying upward, however, it quickly managed to regain its balance. In fact, it seemed as though getting hit by the attack _helped_ Taillow regain its balance. It then swooped downward once again and struck Treecko with a final Wing Attack.

"Treecko! No!" Sawyer cried. As he ran up toward his wounded Pokemon, Taillow soared its way into the distance. "Treecko, are you okay?" he asked, gently lifting Treecko's head off the ground.

"_Tree…_" Treecko responded weakly, but reassuringly.

"That's a relief…" Sawyer sighed, as his heart rate began to slow down. "Hold on, I think a have a Super Potion in my pocket," he stated, reaching into the shorts pocket and pulling out a red spray, specially made to heal the wounds of Pokemon. Sawyer gently sprayed it onto Treecko's arm, causing it to flinch for a moment due to the sting. A few seconds later, however, the Pokemon noticed that most of the pain it had felt had disappeared.

"_Treecko!_" The Pokemon cried cheerfully, as it began jumping up and down with a wide smile on its face.

"Glad your feeling better," Sawyer said before he looked in the direction where Taillow had flown away. "That Taillow is pretty tough, isn't it?"

"_Treecko! Treecko, Tree!_" Treecko shouted, raising its fist into the air with a seemingly angry expression.

"Treecko, is something wrong?" Sawyer asked.

"_Tree! Treecko, Treecko! Treecko, Tree!_" Regardless of whether or not Sawyer could understand Pokemon language, Treecko continued to shout in the direction Taillow had flown.

"Are you saying you want to battle against that Taillow again?" he asked.

"_Tree!_" Treecko nodded its head.

"But Treecko, that Taillow is really strong and fast," Sawyer noted. "I don't think we should battle it head-on like we did last time."

"_Tree, Treecko, Tree!_" Treecko shook its head, then looked off into the distance, seeming as though it was trying to figure out how to explain its thoughts. It then widened its eyes and grabbed a stick from a nearby bush. It placed the stick in front of itself, began walking toward the stick, then stepped on it. "_Treecko-o-o!_" Treecko stuttered, spinning around in a circle on one foot, then dramatically tumbling to the ground. It looked as though Treecko was putting on a theatrical performance for its trainer. Sawyer watched carefully, trying to figure out what his Pokemon was trying to get across to him. Treecko then lifted itself off the ground and slowly walked back toward the stick. It then made a dramatic jump over the stick and lifted its arms into the air as a sign of success.

After Sawyer watched that unique and rather cute performance, it suddenly clicked in. "I get it," he said confidently. "You want to challenge that Taillow again, so you can use what you learned after losing to it!"

"_Treecko! Treecko!_" Treecko cheered, nodding its head.

"I hear you," Sawyer remarked. "After I watch a battle, I always try to think of how I can use what I learned from the battle to improve my own skills as a trainer. I guess you and I are alike in that way, huh?"

"_Treecko, Tree,_" Treecko smiled, nodding once again.

With renewed determination, Sawyer rose up to his feet. "Alright! What do you say we plan out a strategy to defeat that Taillow?" Sawyer asked.

"_Treecko!_" Treecko cried joyously.

As Treecko practiced aiming its punches, Sawyer spent the next few minutes thinking back to their battle against Taillow. He recalled how the wild Pokemon fired all its attacks by swooping down toward Treecko and managed to avoid each of Treecko's attacks by remaining on a higher level. After Sawyer jotted this down, he sketched out a battle sequence in his notebook between Treecko and Taillow, trying to visualize how Treecko could counter Taillow's battling style.

_Let's see…_ Sawyer thought to himself. _Taillow battles best when it's flying above the opponent… The ideal way to get around that would be to keep Taillow from flying above Treecko like it did before…_ "That's it!" he said, as his eyes sparkled in realization. He then stood up and turned toward his Pokemon. "Treecko, I've got an idea that I think might work!"

"_Treecko!_" Treecko cried with much enthusiasm.

Both equally ready to begin their rematch, Sawyer and Treecko looked around the forest area, trying to spot the wild Taillow. "Taillow!" Sawyer called. "Treecko and I would like to battle you again!"

For a few seconds, the forest remained silent…

"_Taillow!_"

But the silence was soon broken when Taillow swooped down from a tree once more, giving Treecko an assertive grin.

"Alright, Treecko! You ready?" Sawyer asked, as his Pokemon nodded with complete self-assurance. As Taillow flew up and descended toward Treecko once more, Sawyer patiently awaited the right moment before giving his next command. "Alright, Treecko! Jump upward and dodge!"

"_Treecko!_" Treecko cried, leaping itself off the ground before positioning itself directly above its opponent.

"Now use Bullet Seed!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Tree… Ko! Ko! Ko!_" Treecko opened its mouth and fired a vigorous blast of seeds toward Taillow, sending it plummeting to the ground.

"Way to go, Treecko!" Sawyer shouted. "Alright! Use Pound!"

"_Treecko!_" Treecko ran up toward Taillow and delivered a final punch, which defeated it once and for all.

"Yes! Treecko, we won!" Sawyer cheered. "Our strategy worked!"

"_Treecko!_" Treecko shouted joyously, as it jumped straight into Sawyer's arms. While the two battlers shared a hug, a certain trainer was watching them from afar. As the trainer made his way out of the forest, Sawyer turned toward Taillow, who was beginning to wake up.

"Thanks very much, Taillow," Sawyer said. "You helped Treecko and I learn a lot."

"_Taillow,_" The Pokemon nodded, before flying off into the distance. Sawyer and Treecko watched as the wild Pokemon soared off into the sky, before sharing another smile. The duo knew that with enough focus and determination, they would be able to beat that Taillow in a battle, and sure enough, with the help of their combined efforts, they managed to do just that.


	3. The Stepping Stone

The following day, Sawyer had made his way out of the Petalburg Woods and arrived at next his destination: Rustboro City. It shocked him to see just how massive Rustboro City was compared to any other city he had been to before. What shocked him even more however was when he saw who he was about to see minutes after his arrival in the city.

As Sawyer made his way toward the Devon Corporation building, a towering, beige building that could be spotted from many miles away, he noticed two people talking to one another in front of the entrance. One was a white-haired man in a purple suit, and the other was a light steel blue-haired young man wearing a charcoal jacket. Sawyer recalled seeing the older man's face on television. His name was Joseph Stone, and he was the president of the Devon Corporation. The younger man looked oddly familiar to Sawyer as well.

"Hold on, isn't that…?" Sawyer muttered, squinting his eyes and taking a closer look at the younger man. He looked an awful lot like Steven Stone, the new Champion of Hoenn, though he was not close enough to tell for sure. As Sawyer walked closer and closer toward the two men, his heart began racing like a go-kart. Just as his heart was already racing and his muscles were shaking like a leaf, Sawyer then realized that Joseph and Steven had the same last name. He got a closer look at the young man and saw that it _was, _in fact, Steven Stone! "It is!" Sawyer squealed, sensing the adrenaline racing through his body. "Ste-Ste-Ste-Steven!"

Sawyer could not believe his eyes. The man who he had watched compete in the Hoenn and Champion League, became the Champion the week before he began his journey, and inspired him to go on the journey in the first place… was standing right in front of him! He began to feel light-headed and dizzy and could not get his thoughts together properly. He did not know if that meant he was on the verge of fainting, nor did he care. He had to meet Steven Stone, even if it meant fainting in front of him. He just _had _to!

As Joseph Stone nodded his head and went back into the building, Steven spun around to find a ten-year-old boy racing toward him at the speed of a jet plane. "Steeeveeeen!" Sawyer cried, refusing to stop until he was a mere foot away from his idol. "St-Steven Stone! M-my name's S-Sawyer! I'm such a big f-fan! I learned so much from watching you battle in the Hoenn League Championships, and the Champion League! Your battle against Wallace was just _incredible!_"

"Why, thank you…" Steven said, before getting cut off.

"Watching you and your Metagross work together was what inspired me to become a trainer! You two were so awesome! I watched every battle you were in both the Hoenn League and the Champion League, and I took note of everything I saw! _Everything!_"

"Thanks very much, Sawyer…" Steven muttered, smiling as he tried to hide his discomfort. "Would you like to meet my Metagross?"

"Yes, please!" Sawyer exclaimed. "That would be amazing!"

"Alright," Steven said, holding up his Poke Ball. "Metagross, let's go!"

Emerging from Steven's Poke Ball was a saucer-shaped, Steel and Psychic-Type Pokemon with a metallic cross in the center of its face. Unlike the vast majority of Metagross, which were blue and white, this one was silver-colored with a golden cross. Knowing this made Sawyer all the more thrilled to meet Steven's Metagross.

"Wow…" Sawyer mumbled. "I never thought I'd be seeing Steven Stone's Metagross up close!" He pulled out his notebook and turned toward his idol. "Steven, would it be okay if I have your autograph?"

"Certainly," Steven replied, taking Sawyer's pen and pulling out a photo of himself from his pocket. He gave the photo his signature, then handed it over to the young trainer. "Here you go."

"Thank you so much!" Sawyer squealed, putting the signed photo into the front pocket of his notebook.

"My pleasure," Steven said. "Say, by any chance are you the trainer who I saw defeat that wild Taillow in the Petalburg Woods yesterday?"

Sawyer's jaw dropped. "Yes!" he replied. "You saw it?"

Steven nodded. "And I have to say, that was quite the clever strategy you came up with."

"Really? Thanks very much!" Sawyer shouted, quickly opening his notebook. "I'll make a note of it!"

"If I may, how long have you been on your journey?" Steven asked.

"So far, only a week," Sawyer replied. "But my Treecko and I have learned a whole lot since we set off on our journey."

"Well, I have to say, for a beginning trainer, that battle you had against that Taillow was spectacular," Steven remarked. "I think it's safe to say that you have what it takes to become Champion one day."

"You mean it…?" Sawyer muttered, as his eyes began to glimmer.

"That is, if you and your Pokemon keep on training," Steven replied.

"Thanks for the kind words!" Sawyer squealed. "I'll make a note of that too!"

"Say, if you saw Metagross and I battling at the Hoenn League and Champion League, then I take it you're familiar with Mega Evolution," Steven said.

"Yes!" Sawyer briskly replied. "I've heard that Mega Evolution can only be mastered if the trainer has an unbreakable bond with their Pokemon, is that right?"

"Well, that is what Kalos' Professor Sycamore theorizes," Steven stated. "I've been talking with him about his research on Mega Stones for quite a while now, and I've been spending a lot of time doing research on them myself. Sycamore even told me where the Metagrossite can be found. I have always been very intrigued by rare stones, and to me, Mega Stones are among the most intriguing stones out there."

"I hear you," Sawyer said. "Ever since I saw how in sync you and your Metagross were during the Hoenn League Championships, I have dreamt of one day mastering Mega Evolution myself!"

"Well, seeing how well you and your Treecko worked together yesterday, I'd say you definitely have what it takes to overcome the challenge of Mega Evolution," Steven remarked. "And I just happen to know that there is a Mega Stone out there for Treecko's final evolved form, Sceptile."

"Really?" Sawyer asked, rapidly opening his notebook to jot this down. "That's amazing!"

"Yes," Steven replied. "And I also hear that when it Mega Evolves, it becomes a part Dragon-Type. Unfortunately, the Sceptilite Mega Stone has yet to be found anywhere outside the Kalos region."

"Then that's where I'll go!" Sawyer said bluntly, but with complete assurance.

"Huh? Are you sure?" Steven asked. "The Kalos region is quite a long way's away."

"I hear that the Gym Leaders in the Kalos region are really strong!" Sawyer remarked. "And if Treecko and I can find a Sceptilite and master Mega Evolution, it will be a dream come true!"

"Well, you've sure got spirit," Steven said. "If that's the case, why don't you take this with you?" Steven reached into his pocket, pulled out a small, rainbow-colored orb and gave it to Sawyer.

"What's this?" Sawyer asked, holding the orb in his fingers.

"It's a Mega Evolution Key Stone that Professor Sycamore gave to me," Steven stated. "This Key Stone is necessary for a trainer to activate Mega Evolution. I want you to have it."

"You mean it…?" Sawyer mumbled, putting the Key Stone into his pocket before looking back up toward his idol, clutching his notebook in complete joy.

"It's all yours," Steven assured him. "I only give Key Stones to trainers who I believe will make good use of them. Even though you may not have much experience now, I've got a strong feeling that you will become a great trainer one day in the future. The kind of trainers and Pokemon I respect are the ones who try their best, and you are certainly no exception. I believe that by traveling through the Kalos region, you and your Treecko will make great achievements."

"Th-thanks very much Steven!" Sawyer squealed.

"Well, I must be on my way," Steven stated. "But it was a pleasure meeting you. I'm sure that if you continue working toward your dream, we will meet again."

"Right!" Sawyer replied confidently.

"Well then, I wish you the best of luck on your Gym Battle journey," Steven said. "I look forward to seeing how far you'll have come when we meet again. And if you feel ready by that point, I will gladly challenge you to a battle."

Sawyer froze in complete shock. His idol, let alone the Champion of Hoenn, had just offered to challenge him to a Pokemon battle. Sawyer could hardly speak, though he did manage to get a few words out before parting ways with Steven. "Th-Thanks, Steven!" Sawyer stuttered. "I'll do my best!"

Steven smiled, before making his way into the Devon Corporation building.

Sawyer took out the autographed photo from his notebook and gazed at it in awe. He remembered hearing people in school saying that people should never meet their heroes, but after his encounter with Steven, Sawyer believed with complete certainty that that was a myth. He realized that one never knows what kind of person their idol is until they meet them, and that by avoiding the opportunity to meet them, they will never have the chance to experience what he just experienced. Thanks to his encounter with Steven, he now had a Key Stone, useful knowledge in regard to being a trainer, as well as renewed confidence in his ability to become stronger.


	4. So Dear to Her Heart

As Sawyer was gazing at the autograph he had gotten from Steven, he began to hear a faint banging noise coming from afar. He followed the sound of the noise, which eventually lead him toward a route outside of Rustboro City.

As Sawyer hid behind a tree, he saw where the banging was coming from. It was coming from a Pokemon who was trapped inside a cage, with a black-haired woman wearing a dark red coat and sunglasses standing next to it. Sawyer identified the Pokemon as a Bagon, a small, blue Dragon-Type Pokemon with tough and grey ridges covering the top of its head. He could tell by not just its constant headbutting against the bars, but also from the expression on its face that it was in a lot of misery. The poacher, on the other hand, did not seem to care one bit. The longer Bagon continued headbutting the bars, the louder the poacher growled. She then turned toward the helpless Pokemon. "Will you stop banging your head against the bars?" she roared.

"_Bagon!_" Bagon froze in complete terror, as the poacher glared at it intensely. She then began to smile.

"Aw… your itty-bitty face looks so cute when you're scared," she said, reaching into the cage and patting Bagon on the head. "Too bad I'll have to sell you to the black market. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go look for some Rare Candies, so that I can turn you into an even greater investment." With that, the poacher then wandered off into the forest, leaving the frightened Bagon alone as it shivered in agony.

Sawyer stood where he was in complete shock as he watched all of this take place. Seeing the poacher treat that innocent Pokemon so badly made his blood boil. He knew that poor Bagon needed to be rescued as quickly as possible, and that was just what he intended to do. As soon as the poacher was out of sight, Sawyer tiptoed toward the cage where the Pokemon was imprisoned. The cage was conveniently sealed with a rope tied in a knot rather than a proper lock, which made it possible for him to free Bagon. Once he got to the cage, he began trying to figure out how to untie that knot.

"_Gon?_" The Pokemon asked, turning toward Sawyer.

"Don't worry, Bagon," Sawyer whispered. "I'm going to get you out of here." As he tried to figure out the knot pattern, Bagon's agony soon turned into hope. The moment was soon interrupted however by the sound of nearby footsteps.

"My, my, what do we have here?" the poacher asked, as Bagon and Sawyer simultaneously froze in alarm. "Aw, a little boy playing hero. How cute," she said mockingly. "You know, I used to love playing hero when I was a little girl. I assume you can guess how _that_ turned out."

"You let this Bagon go free, now!" Sawyer demanded.

The poacher simply laughed in response to this. "Oh, kids are so hilarious… Do you honestly think you can rescue this Bagon? Try beating me in a battle, and I'll be the judge of that. Though I doubt you can."

"We'll just see about that!" Sawyer stated.

"Well, you asked for it," The poacher said. "Golbat, let's go!" The poacher threw her Poke Ball forward, and out came an enormous, blue Pokemon with long, purple wings, sharp fangs, and a mouth nearly the size of its own body.

"Treecko, come on out!" Sawyer shouted, sending out his little, green Pokemon, as it gave its opponent an intense glare.

"You're kidding…" The poacher said. "My Golbat can't be defeated by a Grass-Type, let alone a little pipsqueak like this guy!"

Although Sawyer was aware of Treecko's type disadvantage, he felt confident in his Pokemon's ability to make up for it with its speed and agility. "Treecko and I have battled against Flying-Types before! We'll beat your Golbat and rescue that Bagon for sure!" As he spoke, Bagon gazed dreamily at Sawyer, as if it were a damsel in distress about to be saved by its knight in shining armor.

The poacher sighed. "Very well. Golbat, use Wing Attack!"

"Now Treecko, jump and use Pound!" Sawyer ordered.

As Golbat swooped down toward Treecko, the Grass-Type nimbly jumped upward, and struck Golbat with its tail, sending it plummeting to the ground, much like when it had battled Taillow.

"Not bad," the poacher remarked. "Golbat, use Screech!"

As the poacher's Pokemon let out a piercing shriek, both Treecko and Sawyer covered their ears while squeezing their eyes shut. Bagon as well was greatly affected by that shrilling sound, so much so that it soon passed out in its cage.

"Treecko, hang in there!" Sawyer shouted as both he and Treecko continued to endure the awful sound.

"Alright, Golbat! Use Air Cutter!" the poacher commanded.

Upon its trainer's command, Golbat's wings started to glow light blue. It then formed an X-shaped energy field and launched it toward the immobilized Treecko. Sawyer, still recovering from the Screech, watched in terror as his Treecko slid across the ground, unconscious.

"Treecko!" Sawyer shrieked, rushing upward to make sure that his Pokemon was okay.

"Looks like I win," the poacher declared.

Sawyer groaned, exasperated at his failure to protect Bagon. He then closed his eyes and sighed. "I may not be as strong as you… But Officer Jenny will-"

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure," the poacher said menacingly. "You see, this cage is electrified, and all I have to do to activate it is push this red button." As the Bagon continued to lay unconscious inside its prison, the poacher gently laid her finger upon the red button near the cage. "So, if you decide to call Officer Jenny on me, well… it will be _very _unfortunate for this little one."

Sawyer gritted his teeth, disgusted by the poacher's cowardly escape plan. Just as Sawyer was about to get up and leave, he suddenly heard a voice calling from afar.

"Flamethrower!"

"Huh?" Much to Sawyer's surprise, a gush of flames began to make its way toward Golbat. The flames rapidly engulfed Golbat, causing it to fall downward. It landed on the grass with a loud thud and was out for the count.

That Flamethrower attack had come from a Growlithe, an orange canine Pokemon with multiple black stripes on its body. Accompanying it was Officer Jenny, a young policewoman with teal hair and a small, dark blue uniform. "It's all over!" she announced. "Now come with me!"

The poacher groaned as she surrendered to Officer Jenny's arrest. "If only that _kid_ hadn't created just a ruckus."

After Jenny closed the door to her police car, she turned toward Sawyer. "That poacher didn't cause you any harm, did she?"

"No, we're okay," Sawyer replied, as he gave his wounded Treecko a Super Potion.

"You know, as reckless as you may have been, I can see you care a lot about Pokemon," Jenny remarked.

"Yeah," Sawyer stated, nodding his head. "Bagon would have been in a lot of trouble if you hadn't come when you did. Thanks very much."

"My pleasure," Jenny said with a solute. "I'll make sure this criminal doesn't cause anything like this to happen again." She then got into the police car, and drove away, giving Sawyer the opportunity to rescue the kidnapped Pokemon.

As Sawyer untied the knot that had sealed the cage, Bagon slowly opened its eyes and gazed up toward its rescuer. Sawyer soon managed to untie the knot and open the cage door. "The poacher is gone," Sawyer assured the Pokemon. "You're safe now, Bagon."

"_Bagon…?_" Bagon muttered, beginning to blush. As soon as it saw the smile on Sawyer's face, all the misery it had gone through while being trapped in that cage suddenly disappeared. "_Gon!_" Thrilled to be free at last, Bagon launched itself out of the cage, before its rock-hard head hit directly against Sawyer's chest! Sawyer froze from the shock, unable to move a muscle as he tumbled backward. Having landed safely upon the grass, Sawyer slowly began to lift himself back up as Bagon continued to hug him, oblivious to what it had just done.

"I'm so glad you're safe…" Sawyer muttered, still in a slight shock after enduring that headbutt. He then noticed an empty Poke Ball had escaped from his pocket and was lying on the ground next to him.

"_Bay!_" Bagon noticed this and leaped its way out of Sawyer's arms pointing eagerly toward the Poke Ball. "_Bagon! Gon! Gon!_"

"Are you saying you want to come along with me?" Sawyer asked.

"_Bagon! Bagon! Bagon! Bagon!_" the Pokemon cheered, jumping up and down repeatedly.

"Alright!" Sawyer said, quickly sitting upward and holding his Poke Ball in front of Bagon. As soon as Bagon touched the white button in the center of the ball, it disappeared in a flash of red light. The Poke Ball then emitted a yellow sparkle, signifying its capture. "Yes! I caught a Bagon!" Sawyer cried joyously, as his newly caught Pokemon continued to blush and giggle in its Poke Ball.


	5. The Future is Now Thanks to Explosions

Not too long after his encounter with Steven, and rescuing Bagon from the poacher, Sawyer caught a flight to the Kalos region, hoping to challenge the Kalos Gym Leaders and find a Sceptilite. When he told his Treecko about what he learned from Steven, it became just as motivated to achieve their dream of mastering Mega Evolution as Sawyer was.

Once Sawyer was close to arriving at his destination, Lumiose City, Rustboro City suddenly seemed like a small town to him. Even hundreds of feet above the ground, Lumiose City seemed like it had taken up the whole world. Sawyer could only imagine what it would feel like to live in such a vast and crowded city. It was mind-boggling, and truly a one of a kind experience, especially given that this was only the second plane ride he had been on in his life.

After Sawyer arrived in Lumiose City, the sheer excitement did not end there. Everywhere he looked, there were people walking with their Pokemon, most of whom Sawyer had never seen in person before. The fact he did not know where he was did not bother him in the slightest. For one thing, he knew that he would not get tired of walking around in this fascinating city anytime soon, and for another, he knew exactly what he was looking for: Prism Tower. Prism Tower was the location of the Lumiose Gym and was by far the tallest landmark in Lumiose City. No matter where Sawyer may have been, he could easily spot where the tower was located.

Once Sawyer eventually found his way toward Prism Tower, he felt completely ready to challenge the Gym. He may have been a bit tired after spending almost an hour looking for the Gym, and from being a bit jetlagged, but that did not stop him. As long as he did not think about his tiredness, he felt fine.

The entrance to the Gym consisted of several glass containers with yellow electricity flowing through them. Overall, the room had a very mechanical design and futuristic feel, especially when the screen above the automatic door turned on. As the screen showcased a red, rotating Pokemon Gym logo, which was a Poke Ball with a triangle at the bottom, a robotic voice could be heard. "_Welcome to the Lumiose Gym,_" the voice said.

"My name is Sawyer, and I'm from Littleroot Town," Sawyer said to the screen, with his notebook in his hands. "I'm here for a Gym Battle!"

"_Understood. Please proceed,_" the voice instructed, as the doors slowly began to open, and Sawyer started walking forward. The second after Sawyer caught a glimpse of the Gym and its presumed Gym Leader, he began to introduce himself...

_Kaboom!_

Next thing Sawyer knew, he was smothered by with a tremendous explosion of black smoke. Once the smoke cleared, both he and the boy sitting in the center of the Gym were completely covered in soot. Both had been given Afros from the explosion.

The short, blonde boy sitting in the center of the Gym wore a pair of round glasses and a blue jumpsuit. In front of him was his small and green Pokemon, Chespin, and what appeared to be a robot shattered into bits. After recovering from the shock, he looked up toward Sawyer and let out a terrified gasp. "I'm so sorry!" he panicked. "Are you okay?"

"_Chespin! Cheh!_" his Pokemon cried.

Equally as panicked as the boy, Sawyer briskly examined the inside and outside of his notebook to make sure it was okay. After letting out a sigh of relief, he then realized he was being spoken to. "Yeah, I'm okay," Sawyer assured him. "How about you?"

"I'm just fine. It happens all the time…" the boy said, scratching his head awkwardly. "Sorry about that explosion. You see, I'm an inventor, and I was working on a machine that would allow household chores to be done in a flash. As you can see, it still needs a bit of work…"

The boy was then approached by a nearby grey robot, who had a lightning-bolt shaped antenna that looked very similar to the tuft of hair on the boy's head. "_This is why I keep telling you, it is not a good idea to build your inventions in the Gym._"

The boy chuckled with an embarrassed look on his face. "I guess you were right about that, Clembot…" he admitted before he turned toward his challenger. "So, I take it you're here for a Gym Battle, is that correct?"

"Right!" Sawyer replied. "My name is Sawyer, and I came here from the Hoenn region. This is the first Gym I have been to so far."

"I see," the boy said, standing up. "Well, welcome to the Lumiose Gym. My name is Clemont, and I am the Gym Leader. This is kind of embarrassing, though… If my little sister Bonnie were here, she would tease me so much…"

"_Cheh…_" His Pokemon sighed.

Sawyer and Clemont shared a laugh, realizing just how ridiculous their first impression with one another was. "So, what do you say we begin our Gym Battle?" Sawyer asked.

"You're on! As the Lumiose Gym Leader, I accept your challenge!" Clemont declared as he walked toward the right end of the battlefield, while his Chespin looked at him confused. "You're welcome to cheer us on, Chespin," he stated.

"_Ches-pin…_" Chespin muttered, pouting its face as it ran toward Clembot, who was standing next to the bleachers, and leaped onto its head.

"_The Gym Battle between Clemont the Gym Leader, and Sawyer the challenger, will now get underway,_" Clembot announced. "_Both sides will use three Pokemon, and the battle will be over when all three Pokemon of either side is unable to continue._"

"Alright, Bunnelby! Let's go!" Clemont shouted, throwing his Poke Ball toward the battlefield.

Emerging from Clemont's Poke Ball was a small, grey Pokemon with long, shovel-like ears. "_Bunnel-by!_" the Pokemon cried.

"Go, Slakoth!" Sawyer said, sending out his slothful Normal-Type Pokemon.

"_Slakoooooth…_" Slakoth mumbled.

"Battle, begin!" Clembot declared.

"Okay, Slakoth! Use Slash!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Slakoth!_" Sawyer's Pokemon shouted, lifting itself off the ground and charging sluggishly toward its opponent.

"Bunnelby! Mud Shot!" Clemont commanded.

"_Bunneeelllll!_" Bunnelby cried, creating a golden sphere between its ears, which then split into several balls of mud. "_Bee!_" It then fired the mud balls straight toward Slakoth, stopping it in its tracks and rendering it immobile on the ground. Sawyer's Pokemon did not, however, appear to be knocked out. In fact, it seemed to be perfectly content lying on its stomach, scratching its head.

"Slakoth, use Feint Attack!" Sawyer commanded. Slakoth did not move a muscle, aside from its claw, which it continued using to scratch its head. "Huh? Slakoth! Use Feint Attack!" Sawyer repeated.

"Bunnelby, now! Use Wild Charge!" Clemont instructed.

"_Bun!_" Bunnelby roared, surrounding itself in a cloak of electrical energy, and charging its way straight toward its opponent. The Pokemon then collided against Slakoth with a mighty impact, which rendered it unconscious.

"No! Slakoth!" Sawyer cried.

"_Slakoth is unable to battle,_" Clembot announced. "_Therefore, Bunnelby is the winner._"

"_Chespin! Pin!_" Chespin cheered, still on top of Clembot's head.

As Sawyer returned his Pokemon back to his Poke Ball, Bunnelby returned to its trainer. Clemont then gave it a pat on its head for good effort. "Well done, Bunnelby," he said. "Our hard work on that move really paid off."

Sawyer continued standing where he was, still baffled by what he had just witnessed from that battle. "But… what happened?" he asked.

"Huh?" Clemont stood upward and faced his challenger. "By any chance was this the first battle you had with Slakoth?"

"Yes, it was," Sawyer replied. "Do you know why Slakoth didn't respond to my command Clemont?"

"I sure do," Clemont stated. "You see, Slakoth's special ability is called Truant."

"Truant?" Sawyer repeated. He knew that every Pokemon had a different special ability, most of which were useful for said Pokemon in the midst of battle, though he had not heard of the ability Truant.

"It's an ability that prevents Slakoth from making a move too many times consecutively," Clemont answered, causing to Sawyer gasp in shock. "For a trainer, the trick to working around Truant is to figure out a battling style that will suit the Pokemon, so that Truant does not get in the way. It can be a struggle for many trainers at first, but I have heard about many Slakoth and Slaking trainers who have been able to work around the disadvantages of Truant and bring out the best in their Pokemon's strengths."

"Huh…" Sawyer muttered as he pulled out his notebook. "I had no idea Slakoth had that ability. Thanks for letting me know. I'll make a note of that."

"No problem," Clemont said. "I'm always happy to help challengers grow stronger and get to know their Pokemon."

"I know Truant may be difficult to work around at first," Sawyer admitted. "But that doesn't mean it's impossible. If training is what it takes to help Slakoth become stronger, I'll do it! I _am _Slakoth's trainer after all!"

"I like your spirit," Clemont remarked. "You know, you remind me a little bit of a trainer who I had been traveling with not that long ago... Anyhow, let's resume our battle, shall we?"

"Right! Bagon, let's go!" Sawyer shouted, calling out his newly obtained Dragon-Type Pokemon.

"Now Bunnelby! Use Double Slap!" Clemont ordered.

"Deflect it, quick!" Sawyer commanded.

Bunnelby charged in toward Bagon, preparing to attack with its long ears. Bagon however, managed to use block Bunnelby's attack by using only its rock-hard head.

"I'm impressed," Clemont stated. "Your Bagon's quite tough."

"Thanks!" Sawyer said. "Now, Bagon! Use Dragon Breath!"

"Bunnelby, use Dig!" Clemont commanded.

Bagon opened its mouth and released a fiery blast of light blue energy toward Bunnelby. Just in the nick of time, however, Bunnelby managed to bury itself underground using its ears, and avoided Bagon's attack.

"W-Where did it go?" Sawyer stammered as Bagon stood where it was, unsure what to do. Within seconds, Bunnelby hopped its way out of the ground and slapped Bagon with its powerful ears. "Bagon, no!"

"Wild Charge let's go!" Clemont ordered.

"Use Dragon Claw!" Sawyer shouted.

Bagon surrounded its small, stubby arm in a lime green, claw-shaped energy field, then intercepted its attack with Bunnelby's mighty, electrified charge. After a couple seconds of being neck in neck, Bagon managed to overcome Bunnelby's attack and sent it flying back toward its trainer. It then landed on the ground with a loud thump, causing its trainer to gasp.

"Bunnelby is unable to battle," Clembot declared. "Bagon is the winner."

"Yes!" Sawyer cheered, raising his fist in exhilaration. "Way to go, Bagon! Huh?" Sawyer's excitement soon turned into panic as he watched his Pokemon run closer and closer toward him. Just as Sawyer predicted, it then launched itself toward him, and headbutted him in the chest once again! The shock caused his body to freeze once more, as he tumbled backward helplessly while holding an oblivious Bagon in his arms. Sawyer quickly recovered from the shock, gradually lifting himself back upward and smiling at his Pokemon. "You were awesome, Bagon… Thanks…" he muttered, as Bagon began to nuzzle Sawyer affectionately. "Hey, come on! That tickles!" Sawyer exclaimed, beginning to laugh.

Seeing how happy the two battlers were after their victory brought a smile to Clemont's face. Looking at Bagon's delighted expression, he could sense that Sawyer and Bagon made a great team when it came to battling. He then held up his next Poke Ball. "Luxray! Let's go!" Clemont shouted.

Appearing in a flash of blue light was Clemont's blue and black, feline Pokemon. This large Pokemon had shaggy, black fur, yellow eyes and a star shape at the tip of its tail. "_Luxraaayy!_" The Pokemon roared.

Sawyer lifted himself back on his feet, ready to continue battling. "Alright, Bagon! Use Headbutt!"

"Use Swift, now!" Clemont ordered.

"_Lux…_" Luxray leaped into the air as its tail began to glow yellow. "_Ray!_" It then swung its tail and released several golden stars, which flew toward the incoming Bagon.

"Bagon! No!" Sawyer cried as Bagon laid where it was, out for the count.

"Bagon is unable to battle," Clembot stated. "Luxray is the winner."

Sawyer rushed over toward his Pokemon and gently lifted its head. "Bagon, are you okay?" he asked.

"_Bagon…_" Bagon replied weakly, with a blush on its face.

"You were great, Bagon," Sawyer said reassuringly, as he took out his Poke Ball and aimed the red beam of light toward his Pokemon, causing it to disappear in a flash of red light. "You deserve a good rest." Sawyer then got up to his feet and pulled out his last Poke Ball from his shorts pocket. "Treecko! Come on out!" he shouted, sending out his small, Grass-Type Pokemon.

"Alright, Luxray! Use Thunder Fang!" Clemont commanded.

"Treecko! Use Agility!" Sawyer ordered.

As Luxray charged in toward the little Grass-Type with its electrified fangs, Treecko swiftly made its way to the left. It then continued dashing at excellent speed across the arena, much to Clemont's surprise.

"Wow! That's some speed!" Clemont remarked. "Now, Luxray! Use Swift!"

"_Lux-ray!_" Luxray growled, firing more golden stars toward the nimble Pokemon, who successfully dodged each and every one of them.

"_Treeeee-cko!_" With the help of its increased speed, Treecko then made a big leap into the air, positioning itself above Luxray.

"Alright, Treecko! Use Mega Drain!" Sawyer ordered.

Upon its trainer's command, Treecko began to store up a cluster of white energy for its next attack.

"Swift, let's go!" Clemont commanded.

"_Luxray!_" Luxray roared, launching one last group of golden stars toward Treecko while it was still storing up energy, successfully hitting its target!

"Treecko!" Sawyer cried.


	6. Bernice in Wonderland

Shortly after his Gym Battle with Clemont, Sawyer sat by himself on a bench near Prism Tower, reviewing the notes he had taken following his battle. He thought back to the last ten seconds of the battle, right after Treecko was struck by Luxray's Swift attack.

After Treecko had endured that move, Luxray then finished off the battle with Wild Charge, costing Sawyer the match. Seeing how well Clemont and his Pokemon performed together astounded Sawyer and showed him just how strong Gym Leaders really were. After the battle, Clemont praised Sawyer on his performance but pointed out that his timing with Mega Drain gave him and his Luxray a big opening. Sawyer jotted this down in his notebook, then thanked Clemont for the tip. If you wish, you can see this happen for yourself in episode 64 of _Pokemon the Series: XY, Battling with Elegance and a Big Smile!_ It happens shortly before the commercial break. I hate to break it to you, but Sawyer is not an original character from this fanfiction. Who do you think I am, a sixteen-year-old writing genius?

As I was saying, Sawyer had written down Clemont's tip about his timing with Mega Drain. Sawyer knew that timing was a big struggle for him, so being given that input helped him narrow down what exactly he needed to look for during battle. He recognized that timing was vital for a fast Pokemon like Treecko, especially when it was in mid-air. He could see how a move like Mega Drain, which usually took a couple seconds to charge up, could have that kind of result when used at an incorrect time. Knowing this, he felt more confident in his ability to sense what moves to use and when to use them.

_Slurp!_

Sawyer's train of thought was suddenly interrupted when the long tongue of a mysterious Pokemon licked his face. Startled, he then turned around and saw a chubby, pink Pokemon standing next to him. It had a red collar with a spot of red below it, and a red sphere lying on top of its head, giving it the appearance of a cupcake. In its stubby arms were two pieces of blue cotton candy.

"A Slurpuff!" Sawyer exclaimed, recovering from the shock.

"_Slurpuff, Puff!_" Slurpuff said, pointing one of its cotton candy pieces toward Sawyer.

"Huh? For me? Are you sure?" Sawyer asked.

"_Slurpuff!_" Slurpuff replied, nodding its head.

A wide smile then spread across Sawyer's face. "Thanks, Slurpuff!" he said, briskly taking a bite out of the cotton candy piece. "So good!" he shouted, having just tasted what might have been the best cotton candy that he had ever tasted. Not that I would know what that was like since I have never been brave enough to try cotton candy, or almost anything even remotely sweet for that matter (not joking), and I probably never will be.

"Ah, there you are, Slurpuff," said a cheerful-looking, middle-aged woman wearing a light pink apron.

"Huh?" Sawyer muttered, as his head snapped back to reality. "Is Slurpuff your Pokemon?"

"Why, no," the woman said. "You see, Slurpuff is a wild Pokemon that lives here in the city. Sorry if it surprised you. You see, licking faces is Slurpuff's way of saying hello."

"Oh, so _that's_ what that was about…" Sawyer said, taking out his notebook before looking over at Slurpuff and smiling. "I actually kind of enjoyed it." Now that Sawyer knew Slurpuff's reason behind licking his face, it seemed a lot cuter to him rather than bizarre.

"I met this little Slurpuff a few weeks ago, and it absolutely adores cotton candy, so since then I've been making some for it every day," the woman stated. "This little guy can always tell when I'm making some. Its sense of smell is a hundred million times more sensitive than the average human's."

Sawyer widened his eyes. "Really? That's incredible!" he remarked.

"I see you're quite a cotton candy fan yourself," the woman said.

"Yeah, a whole lot!" Sawyer exclaimed.

"How wonderful," the woman replied. "Say, by any chance are you a Pokemon Trainer?" Sawyer nodded his head. "In that case, why don't you take Slurpuff along with you?"

"Are you sure?" Sawyer asked, taken by surprise.

"Yes," the woman stated. "You see, not only does Slurpuff adore cotton candy, but it also loves to battle. I believe you and Slurpuff would make the perfect team."

"Thanks very much!" Sawyer said, bubbling with excitement as he turned toward Slurpuff. "What do you say, Slurpuff?"

"_Slurpuff! Slurpuff!_" Slurpuff cheered, as it repeatedly moved its stubby arms up and down.

"Alright!" Sawyer said, standing up and pulling out an empty Poke Ball from his pocket. He held the Poke Ball up at eye level from Slurpuff, who joyfully pressed the white button in the middle, making it disappear. Afterward, the Poke Ball in Sawyer's hand released a yellow sparkle. "Yes! I caught a Slurpuff!"

"Now you be sure to take good care of Slurpuff for me, okay?" The woman asked.

"Right!" Sawyer replied, nodding his head with an assured smile on his face.

The next day, Sawyer received a map of the Kalos region from Nurse Joy at one of the Pokemon Centers in Lumiose City. Having this on hand helped him decide which Gym he was going to challenge next, both at this point and later on. Sawyer decided on challenging the Gym in Laverre City since it was the nearest Gym from Lumiose City. Or at least that was what it seemed.

As Sawyer began making his way through the Laverre Nature Trail, the route between Lumiose and Laverre, little was he aware that he was already standing beside a Gym! As he walked along the path, he caught a glimpse of the iconic Poke Ball symbol that could be seen above the door of almost any Pokemon Gym in the Kalos region. This immediately grabbed Sawyer's attention and made him turn toward his left. That symbol with the white triangle connected to the bottom white half of the Poke Ball was indeed the official Pokemon Gym symbol, meaning that he was indeed standing in front of an official Pokemon Gym.

"Huh? Hey, it's a Gym," Sawyer muttered to himself, widening his eyes as he walked toward the red building. "I had no idea there was a Gym around here…"

The first thing that Sawyer noticed as he walked toward the door was a sign written in big, black letters that read "Ring the bell". Sawyer could guess that this was a newly developed Gym, seeing that there had been no mention of it on his map. Much to his surprise, however, this seemingly new Gym had an old-fashioned, vintage doorbell rather than a modern electronic one. It was a rusty, brown doorbell that looked like it had been installed in a hurry. Sawyer rang the bell, and only a couple seconds later, heard a sudden yell that was louder than the bell itself.

"Jeff!" a female voice shrieked, causing Sawyer to jump before he heard the sound of somebody racing relentlessly to the door. Seconds after that, the door swung open, and out emerged an exhausted, brown-haired man who wore a grey vest above his white suit.

"Welcome to the… Brun Way Gym… They call me… _Jeff_," the man panted, saying "Jeff" in a rather unproud-sounding manner, as he continued catching his breath. "May I help you…?"

Baffled by everything he had just heard and witnessed, Sawyer tried his best to keep a straight face. "My name is Sawyer," he said. "I'm here for a Gym Battle."

"I see," Jeff said. "I will lead you to the battlefield. There you will meet Gym Leader Miss Bernice."

"Thank you, sir," Sawyer replied, as he followed Jeff into the Gym, wondering if any more strange events were yet to come. It seemed quite likely to him, though he remained hopeful that things would be calmer from that point onward.

Sawyer and Jeff spent about ten seconds walking through the Gym hallway, and everyone seemed okay. So far so good. That was until the silence was broken by an alarm sound! As the hallway began to turn red, Jeff gasped with a concerned look on his face. "Huh?" he responded.

"What's going on?" Sawyer asked, picking up on Jeff's concern.

"It's an emergency!" Jeff replied. "Bernice wants me to see her right away! I'm terribly sorry to do this, but I ask that you wait here while I see what's going on." Jeff ran off into the direction of the Gym, as Sawyer remained patiently where he was, hoping that everything was alright.

After a minute passed by, Sawyer became increasingly worried about what could have been happening just next door. Was the Gym Leader in trouble? Was there something wrong with the Gym Leader's Pokemon? As he sat down on the hallway floor, his eyes were fixed on the Gym door, wondering when Jeff would come back with more information.

As soon as he saw the door open and Jeff come outside, Sawyer sprung up to feet. "Is everything okay?" he asked. "What was the emergency?"

"Everything's fine," Jeff assured him, holding up his hands. "Miss Bernice just wanted me to pass her the slippers on the other side of the Gym. Her heels were hurting her feet."

"Is she alright?" Sawyer asked briskly.

"Oh, she's perfectly fine," Jeff stated. "She just didn't feel like getting up."

Sawyer paused and scrunched up his face. "_That _was the emergency?"

"I'm terribly sorry…" Jeff responded quickly, as he and Sawyer continued making their way toward the Gym door. "That's just the kind of Gym Leader Miss Bernice is. You see, the reason why Miss Bernice created this Gym in the first place was so that she could have a chance to shine like her older sister."

"Her sister?" Sawyer asked, looking up at Jeff with a slightly more relaxed face.

"According to Miss Bernice, she is a very successful trainer," Jeff stated. "Though I don't know where she is at the moment. Miss Bernice doesn't know either. What I do know is that the two of them rarely got along with each other when they were little. Bernice loved her Pokemon with all her heart, and she wanted to help her Pokemon become stronger through that love. Unfortunately, her sister only saw Pokemon as tools for battling, and she insisted that her way of raising Pokemon was more effective. Miss Bernice was wildly jealous of all the attention her sister was getting for her battling capabilities, so she started her own Gym hoping that she could be recognized for the battling capabilities as well."

"Hm…" Sawyer looked downward, unsure what to say after having all that personal information thrown at him.

"She may be a bit greedy," Jeff said. "But I've seen her get along very with her Pokemon, and something tells me that deep down, she wishes to maintain her role as Gym Leader not just for recognition, but also so she could help challengers grow stronger."

As Sawyer and Jeff entered the expansive Pokemon Gym, the first two things that Sawyer noticed were the battlefield colored in a rather dull shade of orange, and a young woman laying down idly on her royal-looking sofa. She wore a dark pink, comfortable-looking dress along with an orange sash and hair ribbon. She had pink hair and orange eyes, and a tired, yet intimidating look on her face.

"There you are, Jeff!" she said, giving Jeff an irritated glare. "What in the world took you so long?"

"Miss Bernice," Jeff pleaded. "Would you please stop calling me Jeff? My name is-"

Bernice cut her off. "-We've been over this, Jeff. Your name takes way too long to say, so I decided I would call you Jeff for the sake of time, understand? Now… back to my question. What took you so long?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Bernice. Trainers can be a bit talkative when the referee abandons them in the hallway to pass the Gym Leader her slippers," Jeff replied, saying this passive-aggressive sentence in an equally passive-aggressive tone.

"Very funny, Jeff…" Bernice responded coldly, before turning her head toward the young boy standing next to him. "And who might you be?"

"My name is Sawyer," he replied. "I'd like to challenge you to a Gym Battle."

"Sawyer, huh?" Bernice said, still not sounding any more enthused than she had been before. "And you say you're here to challenge me?"

"That's right," Sawyer stated.

Bernice lazily lifted her arm and snapped her fingers. "Jeff!" she shouted.

"Yes, Miss Bernice," Jeff responded, dashing toward the cart that was standing next to the bleachers. The cart had two Poke Balls lying on top of it.

"And how many badges might you have?" Bernice asked Sawyer.

"None so far, but I-"

Bernice cut him off. "Oh, good. Then this won't take long," Sawyer kept himself from saying anything back to Bernice as muscles began to tense. Bernice, noticing this, simply groaned. "Hey, at least you were smart enough to find my Gym to begin with. Most trainers I've met are too dumb to have learned that lesser-known Gyms like mine even exist." After a couple seconds passed, Bernice turned her head to her left. She noticed that Jeff had brought her the Poke Balls, but was now just standing where he was, still as a statue. "Ahem!" Bernice shouted, glaring at Jeff.

"Yes, Miss Bernice!" Jeff shouted, knowing exactly what that glare meant. He remembered that he was also responsible for refereeing the match, and so he ran tenaciously toward the center of the battlefield to make his announcements. "The Gym Battle between Miss Bernice the Gym Leader, and Sawyer the challenger, will now get underway. Both sides will be allowed to use two Pokemon, and when both Pokemon on either side is unable to continue, the battle will be over. Furthermore, only the challenger may substitute their Pokemon."

Rather than thanking her assistant, or at the very least giving him a look of appreciation, Bernice just groaned. "I wish that annoying speech wasn't part of the Pokemon League rules…" she muttered. Hearing this did not even make Sawyer frustrated. It just confused him. If the speech annoyed her so much, and she was not being supervised by the Pokemon League, why would she even bother making Jeff go through that trouble to begin with?

"Blue corner, are you ready?" Jeff asked, looking toward Sawyer who responded with an assured nod. "Red corner, are you ready?"

"I think the real question is, are _you _ready?" Bernice replied.

Visibly displeased, Jeff sternly walked up toward the Gym Leader. "Miss Bernice, please. As Gym Leader, this should be your responsibility."

"Well, as Gym Leader, it's my responsibility to make the rules. And my rule is, you do what I say!" Bernice insisted, looking as if she was planning on firing Jeff if he did not obey her order.

Jeff let out an ungrateful sigh. "Yes, Miss Bernice…" he moaned, as he regretfully picked up one of the two Poke Balls lying in the cart beside Bernice. "Litleo, let's go," he muttered, tossing the Poke Ball toward the battlefield.

The Poke Ball popped open, and out came a small, brown, feline Pokemon with an orange tuft of hair on the top of its head. "_Litleo!_" the Pokemon cried, ready to battle.

Sawyer on the other hand, did not feel quite as ready after witnessing such a bizarre display of difficulty from the Gym Leader. "Did she just…" Sawyer stammered before he quickly shifting his focus back toward the battle. "Bagon, let's go!"

After emerging from its Poke Ball, Bagon faced its opponent with confidence, equally ready to battle as Litleo was. "_Bagon!_" the Pokemon roared.

Although the battle was ready to begin, Bernice continued laying down comfortably on her sofa. It did not seem as though she had any intention of getting up, even once the battle officially started. Seeing this baffled Sawyer, as he never thought he would be battling against a Gym Leader who insisted on lying down on her couch, even during battle. That would be like if you or I had a teacher who gave lessons while lying down on a couch in front of the students, all because the teacher was too lazy to stand. Just picture that in your mind for a moment. It looks ridiculous. Regardless, Sawyer knew that he had a Gym Leader to battle, and a Gym Badge to earn.

"Alright. Battle, begin!" Jeff proclaimed.


	7. The Princess and the Smog

"Bagon, use Dragon Claw!" Sawyer shouted.

"_Bagon!_" Bagon shrieked, rushing toward its opponent with a light green, claw-shaped energy field enveloping its stubby arm.

"Noble Roar!" Bernice commanded.

"_Leeooo!_" Litleo let out a ferocious roar, causing Bagon to freeze in terror before landing its attack. Litleo slid back a couple feet, but speedily shook off the attack, as Bagon continued quivering.

"Bagon! are you okay?" Sawyer cried. Bagon shook its head and shifted its focus back to the battle. "Alright! Use Dragon Claw, again!"

"_Gon!_" Bagon yelled, dashing toward its opponent once more.

"Noble Roar!" Bernice ordered.

"_Leeooo!_" Litleo's roar managed to catch Bagon off guard once again, as it endured another Dragon Claw, this time taking even less damage than it had taken before.

Although Sawyer had never seen the move Noble Roar being used before, he could tell that it was causing a lot of trouble for Bagon. _This isn't good,_ he thought to himself. _How do we get past Noble Roar?_

"Now use Flame Charge!" Bernice shouted.

"_Litleo!_" Litleo howled, surrounding itself in a cloak of red flames before bolting straight toward the weakened Bagon. The attack landed with success, and Bagon was sent sliding several feet backward.

"Alright! Use Dragon Breath!" Sawyer ordered.

Bagon opened its mouth wide, then let loose a fiery blast of energy toward Litleo, who moved its way across the arena in the blink of an eye.

"It's fast!" Sawyer cried, widening his eyes after seeing how much more agile Litleo had become.

"You see, when Litleo uses Flame Charge, its speed is increased," Bernice stated with a confident grin on her face. "Combining that with Noble Roar is the perfect way to safely get in close, wouldn't you agree? Now use Crunch!"

Litleo bolted toward Bagon once again. In a couple seconds and no less, it reached Bagon's arm and gave it a fierce bite.

While Bernice's Pokemon was in close-range, Sawyer quickly used this opportunity to land an attack. "Bagon! Use Headbutt!" he ordered.

Gathering all its remaining energy, Bagon slammed its head into its opponent and sent it flying back toward Bernice.

"Hmm… Nicely done, I must say," Bernice remarked. "Use Flame Charge!"

"Use Dragon Breath!" Sawyer ordered.

The second that Litleo began dashing toward its opponent, Bagon responded with an exceptionally powerful Dragon Breath attack. Coming in contact with this attack stopped Litleo right in its tracks, and sent it flying several feet backward once again.

"Litleo!" Bernice cried.

"Litleo is unable to battle! Bagon is the winner!"

"Yes! We did it, Bagon!" Sawyer shouted, too excited by their victory to notice Bagon rushing toward him and jumping head-first toward his chest. Just as he was last time, he was struck with potent headbutt from the Rock Head Pokemon! Momentarily stunned by the intense impact, Sawyer fell backward, as an oblivious Bagon remained happily in his arms. As Sawyer slowly lifted himself off the ground, he managed to maintain a smile on his face, as he looked toward his greatly affectionate Dragon-Type. "I knew you could do it…" Sawyer muttered as Bagon nuzzled his cheek.

"Litleo, are you okay?" Bernice asked, with a genuinely concerned expression on her face despite the fact that she was still lying down on her couch. Bernice's dazed Pokemon look toward her and gave her a weak, but reassuring cry. "I'm so sorry. Litleo. I thought I had you in a safe position, but I guess I wasn't thinking about how critical hits ignore the effects of stat lowering moves."

Hearing this caught Sawyer's undivided attention, so much so that he even managed to stand back up with no issue at all. "Hold on, could you repeat that?" he asked.

"That critical hits ignore the effects of stat-lowering moves…?" Bernice replied, with a confused look on her face.

Sawyer gasped, as his eyes began to glimmer. "I had no idea... I'll make a note of it!" Sawyer stated, immediately pulling out his notebook.

Seeing just how much that seemingly small fact intrigued Sawyer felt like a moment of realization for Bernice. She was not used to being given that kind of reaction from people when she said what was on her mind. _Maybe I really do have what it takes to help challengers grow…_ Bernice thought to herself, before soon realizing that she still had more to do. Or rather, that her assistant still had more to do. "Jeff!" she shouted, snapping her fingers once again.

"Yes, Miss Bernice!" Jeff said, picking up Bernice's next Poke Ball, and holding it up toward the battlefield. "Houndour, let's go!" he shouted, throwing the Poke Ball forward. Emerging from the Poke Ball was a short, black, canine Pokemon with a skull on its forehead and an orange muzzle.

"_Hou!_" the Pokemon barked.

"Excellent," Bernice said, with a satisfied grin on her face. "Houndour, use Smog!"

"_Hou!_" Houndour opened its mouth and let loose a dark could of smoke that soon engulfed everything on the battlefield, including Bagon.

"Bagon! No!" Sawyer shouted.

"Feint Attack!" Bernice commanded.

"_Hou!_" Houndour roared, as Bagon nervously turned its head back and forth, wondering where Houndour would come into view. Less than a second later, the Dark and Fire-Type Pokemon bolted toward Bagon and sent the Pokemon flying back toward its trainer. The little Pokemon was quickly knocked unconscious.

"Bagon!" Sawyer cried.

"Bagon is unable to battle!" Jeff declared. "Houndour is the winner!"

Sawyer pointed his Poke Ball toward his dazed Pokemon. "Thanks, Bagon," he said, as a red light emerged from his Poke Ball, enveloping Bagon and bringing it back into the red and white capsule. "You deserve a good rest." Sawyer looked up toward Bernice, surprisingly impressed by her performance. "That strategy you used was really well done. The way you had Houndour use Smog to protect itself before launching that Feint Attack."

Bernice shrugged. "Well, it's the least I can do for my Pokemon. It's always so dreadful seeing trainers trying to win a battle by deliberately putting their Pokemon in a risky situation. Sadly, my sister's one of those trainers. I don't know _how _she got to meet Diantha and _I _didn't!"

"Diantha?" Sawyer asked.

Bernice scrunched her face, surprised that even a Pokemon Trainer from a distant region would not know about this widely known celebrity. "The Champion of Kalos…?" she said. "She has a Mega Gardevoir…?"

"The Kalos Champion can use Mega Evolution too…?" Sawyer asked, as his eyes began to glisten. "That's amazing! I'll make a note of this as well!" Sawyer pulled out his notebook and wrote this down as rapidly as he could. Although Sawyer had written a lot of newly learned information about Pokemon during his short amount of time as a trainer, he still had many pages left. This made him wonder what lay in store for him down the line, and what he could expect to see next. Just thinking about it made his heart pound like a drum. "Wow," he muttered. "All of this has gotten me even more excited to challenge the Gyms here in Kalos!"

Seeing how eager Sawyer had become after learning about Diantha took Bernice by surprise again._ I never thought such little things could become such a motivation for trainers,_ she thought to herself. _I guess I have more to offer as a Gym Leader than I thought I did…_

After shifting his focus back toward the Gym Battle, Sawyer looked toward Houndour, pondering his options. _I know Houndour can hide by using Smog. So, how are we going to aim our attacks if we can't see… That's it!_ As soon as the idea leaped into Sawyer's mind, he reached into his pocket and held his next Poke Ball up in front of him. "Alright, Slurpuff! Let's go!" he shouted, tossing his Poke Ball forward.

Appearing in a flash of blue light was Sawyer's newly caught, Fairy-Type Pokemon. "_Slurpuff!_" the Pokemon cried gleefully, ready to battle.

"Houndour! Flamethrower!" Bernice instructed.

"_Hooouuu!_" Houndour roared, letting loose a scorching gush of flames from its mouth.

"Slurpuff! Use Electro Ball!" Sawyer commanded as Slurpuff fired a yellow orb of electrified energy toward the blast of fire. The two attacks then collided neck in neck and created an explosion.

"Shadow Ball!" Bernice ordered.

Still slightly dazed from the explosion, Slurpuff was unable to move out of the way before getting hit by a deep, dark orb of energy. "Slurpuff, no!" Sawyer cried.

"Now use Smog!" Bernice shouted.

"_Hou!_" Bernice's Pokemon growled, releasing another cloud of thick, dark smoke, enveloping Slurpuff within a few short seconds.

"Feint Attack!" Bernice commanded.

"Use Fairy Wind!" Sawyer instructed, with a self-assured grin on his face.

"Huh?" Bernice responded, raising her eyebrows.

As Houndour prepared to make its way toward its opponent, both Sawyer and Slurpuff remained completely calm. As soon as Slurpuff began sniffing the area, it figured out Houndour's whereabouts and fired a mighty gust of pink wind toward the Dark and Fire-Type Pokemon. Houndour was sent flying several feet backward before it landed on the ground with a loud thud.

"No! Houndour!" Bernice cried.

"Alright, Slurpuff! Finish this with Electro Ball!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Slur-puff!_" Slurpuff growled, launching another electrified orb toward its opponent, creating a massive explosion in the process.

"Houndour!" Bernice shrieked.

As the smoke cleared away, Houndour was down and out for the count. "Houndour is unable to battle! Slurpuff wins! Which means the match goes to the challenger Sawyer!"

"We won…" Sawyer muttered, taking in what just happened. A huge smile then spread on both his face and Slurpuff's. "Yes! Slurpuff, we won! We won our first Gym Battle!"

"_Slurpuff!_" Slurpuff shouted joyously, sensing its trainer's sheer exhilaration.

"Thank you, Houndour. You were wonderful," Bernice said, sitting upward, picking up her Poke Ball and calling back her Pokemon, much to Jeff's surprise. As Bernice looked down gratefully at Houndour's Poke Ball, Sawyer came up to her, looking equally grateful.

"Bernice?" Sawyer said as she lifted her head upward. "Thank you very much. You helped me learn a lot from our battle."

Moved by these words of encouragement, Bernice smiled. This was exactly what she had been hoping to get out of her role as Gym Leader all along. "You are very welcome, Sawyer," she responded genuinely. "I honestly never thought I had so much to offer as a Gym Leader. Seeing how much attention my sister was getting, I always thought that strength was the most important thing when it came to recognition as a trainer. But now I know that's not nearly as important as embracing the strengths that I have for who I am. I'd like to thank you for helping me realize this through our battle."

"No problem," Sawyer stated. "I'll be sure to make a note of this experience!"

Jeff walked up toward Bernice with a gift case in his hands. "Would you like me to give the challenger his Gym Badge, Miss Bernice?" he asked.

Bernice shook her head. "No thanks. I'd like to have the honor." Bernice took the gift case from Jeff, and opened it, revealing a badge resembling an orb of fire with a red gem in the middle. "Here's proof that you won at the Laverre Nature Trail Gym. The Blaze Badge."

"Thank you so much!" Sawyer cheered, taking the Gym Badge and gazing down toward it in complete admiration. _This is it,_ he thought to himself. _My first badge. This means I am one step closer to reaching my dream..._

"So, what made you change your mind about me giving the challenger the badge, Miss Bernice?" Jeff asked.

"I don't know," Bernice replied. "Something about this trainer just really made me recognize the value of putting effort into making things happen, and how satisfying that can be."

Jeff widened his eyes. "Does this mean you'll start calling me by my real name?"

"Oh… we'll get there one day, Jeff…" Bernice stated, causing Jeff to frown. She then turned back toward her challenger. "Thank you for a great battle. I wish you the best of luck for the rest of your Gym Battles here in Kalos."

"Thanks!" Sawyer responded, with renewed determination to learn as much as he could while heading for the next Gym.

Once Sawyer was well on his way to Laverre City, he became even more glad he had found that Gym, because for the rest of that route, he encountered very few trainers or wild Pokemon. He hoped that at some point on that route, he would be able to try out a Double Battle, as he now had enough Pokemon to participate in one. Unfortunately, the few trainers who he did encounter on his way to Laverre only had one Pokemon each. In addition, most of the wild Pokemon that Sawyer ran into on that route were Poison-Types. Each of the ones that he tried to capture ended up poisoning one of the members of his team, which led to him needing to make a detour to the Pokemon Center before he had the chance to catch them. After this had happened twice with a Skorupi and Weepinbell, Sawyer made the decision not to try to catch any more Pokemon on that route, in order to keep his own Pokemon safe.

Once this unpleasant, sixteen-day walk through the Laverre Nature Trail came to an end, and Sawyer finally arrived at his destination, he was itching to challenge the Laverre Gym as soon as possible. He knew that a Gym Battle was just the thing he needed to get his energy level back up after such an extensive and quiet walk to Laverre City.

Not too long after his arrival in the city, which was filled with red mushrooms and autumn-colored leaves, Sawyer was able to locate the Gym. In front of him was a five-story, red building with a battlefield on the balcony of the second story. Directly behind the building was a giant oak tree covered in thick, orange leaves. Without hesitating for one moment, Sawyer ran into the Gym and opened the doors. As he came inside, however, he noticed the room was completely filled with young women carrying boxes of items across the room, all wearing kimonos of various colors. Sawyer had no idea what was going on, though he was pretty sure he was in the right place. He walked over toward a counter where a young woman in a blue kimono was standing.

"Excuse me, is this where the Laverre Gym is?" Sawyer asked.

"Yes…" the woman said, with a concerned expression on her face. "Are you here for a Gym Battle?" Sawyer nodded. "I'm very sorry, but you'll have to come back tomorrow."

"Huh?" Sawyer exclaimed in complete shock. At a time like this, the last thing Sawyer wanted to hear was that the Gym was closed.

I bet you can imagine the shock on Sawyer's face when he found out he could not challenge the Laverre Gym after making it all that way. Now that I think about it, you do not have to imagine, as you can see it for yourself in episode 73 of Pokemon the Series: XY, _A Fashionable Battle!_ If you want to know what happens next, I recommend that you watch episodes 73 through 75 before moving onto the next chapter. Or, you can be a Lazy Larry and just move onto what happens after episode 75. The choice is yours.


	8. Sawyer Gets Carried Away

If you thought Sawyer's first step into Rustboro City was the biggest turning point in the story, oh trust me, there is _plenty _more where that came from. And we are not even halfway through the fanfiction. Feel free to move onto paragraph six if you have seen episodes 73 through 75. If you decided to be a Lazy Larry, then I guess I would be okay with giving you the gist of what happened. Sigh…

After Sawyer found out he could not have a Gym Battle, he met a fellow would-be challenger named Ash. You read me right, the ten-year-old star of the show from Pallet Town who never ages. All jokes aside, this is where it all began.

After meeting Ash, Sawyer got to learn about his achievements as a trainer. Not only did Ash manage to beat Clemont in a Gym Battle, but he also had five badges under his belt. This greatly motivated Sawyer to catch up to him, but that was just the beginning. When Sawyer and Ash decided to have a Double Battle, Sawyer got a taste of Ash's battling style when he saw Ash's Frogadier protecting his Hawlucha and responding well to Ash's clever commands. Even with a type disadvantage, Ash was able to turn the tables by thinking on his feet and improvising surprising strategies. Intrigued by this method of battling, Sawyer took note of the experience, before their battle was interrupted by a nearby fashion show. It turned out that the show was being held by Valerie, the leader of the Laverre Gym. Hoping to demonstrate the beauty of her designs when worn during battle, she asked Sawyer to come on stage and battle her using the same rules as a Gym Battle. Even though Sawyer was easily defeated, the battle taught him a whole lot, such as the Fairy-Type's immunity to Dragon-Type moves.

The next day, Sawyer was able to witness Ash's Gym Battle against Valerie. This was where he got to see Ash's battling style in full view, as he used a variety of tactics to get himself out of any tough situation he may have been in. Escaping his opponent's grasp with Flame Charge and destroying Trick Room by using X-Scissor were among two of the many strategies he pulled off, all while thinking on his feet. After watching that battle, Sawyer saw something in Ash that went even beyond what he had seen in Steven Stone. He desperately wanted to know how Ash battled the way he did, and to figure out how he could battle that way himself.

The day after that, Sawyer and Ash decided to finish off their battle from the previous two days. After Ash easily overwhelmed Sawyer while defeating two of his Pokemon, Ash told him that when a Pokemon is hit, he needed to stay calm so that his Pokemon could feel calm too. Knowing this allowed Sawyer to battle as one with his Treecko, and even led to his Treecko evolving into Grovyle. After a close match against Frogadier, Ash ended up winning the match, as a rivalry established between Frogadier and Grovyle. As Sawyer parted ways, he vowed to himself that he would become stronger, and that next time he battled Ash, he would be the winner.

As you can probably guess, all of this was on Sawyer's mind as he was heading for Coumarine City, site of his next Gym Battle. He felt quite tempted to write down more notes, but after nearly losing his notebook the last time he looked at it while walking, he could not let himself make that mistake again. After about an hour of walking, Sawyer decided to sit down on a nearby rock, and write down any additional thoughts he had about the experience before they escaped him. How long did he do this you ask? Well, let's just say that by the time he was finished writing down all those notes, he only then realized that the sun had come down, and that he was lost in a dark forest.

Sawyer looked up at the night sky and gulped. He had become so engaged in writing down his thoughts that he had no idea so much time had passed. He decided to search for a place to camp out, as he lowered his foot downward from the rock. When he lowered his foot however, he stepped on something that felt rather squishy and tumbled straight toward the ground.

"Not again…" Sawyer muttered as he lifted himself off the ground. "What did I step on…?" Sawyer turned his head as a completely shocked look passed over his face. It turned out that the squishy thing he stepped on was actually a Pokemon! This little green Pokemon, Petilil, resembled an onion and had three long leaves sprouting from the top of its head. Sawyer saw the big shoeprint on the top of its head, and was overcome with guilt, which only grew when he saw the little Pokemon's enraged expression.

"_Lil…_" it growled menacingly. Although Petilil usually had quite a cute and innocent look on its face, this one's facial expression looked just about as terrifying as a fully-grown Dragon-Type having been awakened from its nap.

Sawyer sprung up to his feet and clapped his hands together. "I'm so sorry, Petilil!" he exclaimed. "I didn't mean to step on you!"

"_Lil!_" Petilil tilted its head backwards, then swung it forward and fired a cloud of green powder and sparkling light. The spore cloud then wafted its way toward Sawyer.

"Hold on, isn't that…?" Sawyer said, recognizing the move as Sleep Powder. Before Sawyer had the chance to run however, he had already become immersed in the cloud. He began to feel sleepy. Very sleepy… He tried as hard as he could to keep his eyes open, but try as he might, all that did was tire him out more. He felt so dozy that he forgot what he had planned to do just a second ago. He knew he was going to fall asleep at any second. He just knew it…

"_Lil!_" Petilil grunted, turning its head away and waddling off into to the forest.

Sawyer, not noticing that Petilil had left, slowly lifted his tired hand in front of himself. "I'm sorry… Petilil…" he mumbled, beginning to lose his balance as his eyes grew heavier and heavier... As he wobbled back and forth, he began to zone out and drift off into his own semiconscious world. He felt much too drowsy to question why he had to stay awake, though he knew that was what he had to do. Using every ounce of energy he still possessed, Sawyer desperately tried to keep himself awake… but the powder was too just strong. He gently closed his eyes, fell forward onto the soft grass and drifted off to sleep.

While Sawyer snored and dreamt upon the grass, the Sleep Powder continued to float gently around him, and travel into the nearby trees. It instantly caught the undivided attention of a Murkrow, an avian, black-feathered Pokemon that had a crooked, yellow beak. "_Mur! Murkrow! Krow!_" It cheered, captivated by the sparkles in the dust cloud. It gently flew down into the spore cloud and onto Sawyer's backpack, not noticing that he was there. It then gazed up at the sparkly spores in awe.

Now, I know what you are thinking. How is the Sleep Powder not effecting Murkrow? Well, non-Pokemon experts, remember when I told you about special abilities back in Sawyer's Gym Battle against Clemont? Well, one of Murkrow's abilities is called Insomnia, which protects it from sleep-inducing moves. This has been Pokemon Fact of the Day. Now back to the story.

This Murkrow was not the only Murkrow in the forest, and certainly not the only Murkrow who was attracted to sparkly objects. A couple of seconds after this Murkrow arrived, another Murkrow spotted the dust cloud and swiftly swooped into it. This abrupt act caused the powder to be blown away. "_Murkrow! Krow!_" the Murkrow on Sawyer's backpack scolded its friend.

"_Mur…_" the other Murkrow muttered apologetically.

"_Krow?_" The Murkrow that was roosting on Sawyer's backpack then noticed that it was standing on a human. "_Krow!_" Startled at first, it soon noticed that the human was out like a light, unaware that any of this was going on. "_Krow, Krow,_" It then pecked the sleeping trainer's head, trying to awaken him.

"I see…" Sawyer mumbled in his sleep, with a faint smile on his face. "I'll make a… note of that…"

Hearing this caused confusion to Murkrow. Was he awake, or was this just something that all humans did during sleep? Given how he did not say anything after that, it decided to go with the second one. "_Krow!_" cried its friend, as it lifted its wing, revealing a small bit of powder it had discovered on Sawyer's arm.

"_Murkrow…_" the Murkrow standing on Sawyer widened its eyes, relieved to see that there was still some powder left. "_Murkrow, Krow, Krow. Mur, Mur, Murkow. Krow,_" it said, pointing toward Sawyer while repeatedly flapping its right wing. It was trying to tell its friend that the powder was likely coming from the slumbering human.

"_Krow?_" the other Murkrow said, looking quite convinced. Neither of them knew that much about humans, nor could they distinguish their differences from Pokemon. Talking and emitting sparkly powder during sleep must have been their special power. That just had to be it! And that could only mean one thing: if they were to take this human to the nest of their leader, they could provide it with an endless amount of sparkly powder. That was sure to make their leader pleased!

"_Krow!_" the two Murkrow shared a nod, as they both hopped onto Sawyer's arms. Gripping them tightly, they then began to flap their wings as hard as they could, until the two of them were finally above ground. Once they had gotten the hang of it, the Murkrow managed to easily fly across the night sky, lifting Sawyer up with them as he continued sleeping peacefully.


	9. The Rude Awakening

Determined to carry Sawyer all the way to their leader's nest, the Murkrow spent nearly the entire night carrying him across the region, all while he was sound asleep. Even while being flown through the sky with talons gripped around his arms, and occasionally being laid down in various places only to be picked up again when the Murkrow were ready to keep on flying, Sawyer managed to sleep through the whole thing. After many hours of flying across the region, the Murkrow had made it to a city unfamiliar to Sawyer and were not far away from their leader's nest. The Murkrow's sheer excitement caused their flying to become wonky, as Sawyer slowly began to open his eyes.

"Huh…?" Sawyer murmured, groggy after having been awakened from a deep slumber. As he tried to make sense of what was going on, he saw a blurry image a fountain within a city from a bird's-eye view. It took a second for him to realize he was flying above a city, but once he did, the realization jolted him awake! "Aaaaaaaaahhh!"

Sawyer's scream immediately caught the attention of a bystander, a young, blonde-haired woman wearing a white tank-top and a camera around her neck. As soon as she saw the young boy being carried by the Murkrow, she grabbed a Poke Ball from her pocket. "Vivillon, quick! Use Psychic!" she yelled. Emerging from the woman's Poke Ball was a small, grey Pokemon with two pairs of long, pink wings.

As Sawyer's heart rate skyrocketed, the Murkrow jumped in shock, causing them to lose their grip. Sawyer plummeted at high speed toward the ground, while his entire body froze in complete terror. As soon as Sawyer glanced at the incoming ground, he squeezed his eyes shut. He then stopped screaming, as he tried to prepare for the crash…

"_Villoooon!_" cried the young woman's Pokemon, as its eyes began to glow blue.

Sawyer suddenly became surrounded in a blue energy field, which caused him to levitate above the ground. His muscles were still stiff as a rock, and his eyes were still slightly closed, though he could not feel the wind blowing through him anymore. Sawyer had no idea what happened to him, until he opened his eyes a few seconds later, and discovered that he was hovering above the cement ground!

After Vivillon slowly brought Sawyer back down to solid ground, his feet began to stumble. Not only had he been through a lot since the last time he stood up, but he was also in complete shock after that terrifying experience. Sawyer knew with complete certainty that he would always remember that shockingly rude wakeup-call.

The young woman rushed over toward Sawyer. "Are you okay?" she panicked.

With his hand on his heart, Sawyer took in a deep breath and slowly let it out... He could still feel his heart thumping vigorously, but now he was calm enough to speak. "Y-Yeah, I-I'm okay…" Sawyer stammered as he looked up at his rescuer. "Th-Thanks so much for saving me…"

"My pleasure," the woman replied before she turned her head and noticed that the Murkrow were still there. The two swooped downward and headed straight toward Sawyer, causing him to flinch and freeze up just like he did while he was falling. "Surskit, come on out!" The woman shouted, sending out her blue, insectoid Pokemon. Extending from this Pokemon's spherical body were four long and skinny legs. "Surskit, use Sticky Web!"

"_Surskit!_" The Pokemon squealed, firing a cluster of white, sticky globs from its yellow antenna. The sticky material then became trapped in the Murkrow's wings, causing them to fall to the ground.

"Vivillon, use Solar Beam!" she commanded.

"_Viviiiiiiii…_" Vivillon said, beginning to store up yellow energy from the sun between its antennae. "_On!_" it then fired a searing beam of light toward the Murkrow, creating an explosion which caused them to panic and fly away.

Seeing how the woman managed to immobilize the two Murkrow before landing the Solar Beam astounded Sawyer. He had never seen anyone use that kind of battle strategy before. It was also thanks to that combination of attacks that he could finally rest easy, knowing that he was now safe from those Murkrow. He still felt a bit shaky, but at least now he was safe. "Amazing…" he muttered, before turning back toward his rescuer. "Hey, thank you for chasing off those Murkrow. You really helped me a lot."

"No problem," the woman said as she returned her Pokemon back to their Poke Balls. "But why in the world were those Murkrow carrying you in the first place?"

"Huh?" Sawyer responded, trying to recall what happened before he found himself above the city. "Beats me…" he replied. "The last thing I remember was getting hit with Sleep Powder by a wild Petilil. When I woke up, I found myself flying above this city." Everything seemed like a blur to him. So many unusual events were happening so fast, then next thing he knew, he is standing in a completely unfamiliar location. What made those Murkrow decide to carry him here, and how long had they been carrying him for? Sawyer had no clue.

"A Petilil?" the woman asked. "I've never seen a Petilil anywhere around here. You must have come a long way."

"I had just challenged the Gym in Laverre City," Sawyer explained. "I was on my way to Coumarine City to challenge the Gym there.

"Laverre City?" the woman asked in shock as she looked up in the direction where the Murkrow had flown off. "How did those Murkrow manage to carry you all the way here?"

"That's a good question…" Sawyer commented. "They would have had to carry me a long way. I didn't think that Murkrow had the strength to do that." He then looked around, realizing that he was completely lost. "Where am I, anyway?"

"This is Santalune City," the woman replied.

"Santalune City?" Sawyer repeated as he pulled out his Kalos region map from his backpack. He saw where it said "Santalune City," and was shocked to see that it was twice as far from Laverre City as Lumiose City was. "I'm two cities away from where I was before!" he exclaimed. He then closed his eyes and let out a sigh of disappointment. "Now it'll take me even longer to get to Coumarine City…"

The young woman looked at Sawyer and frowned. "I'm sorry that those Murkrow carried you off course like that," she said, looking down and thinking to herself. "Hmm… I know! While you're here, maybe you could challenge the _Santalune _Gym!"

"That's right!" Sawyer shouted, as his eyes started to glisten with hope. "Santalune City has a Gym as well! Do you know where it is?"

"Yes," the woman replied. "Just make a right at that corner, and you're there."

"Thanks very much!" Sawyer said, before he ran off in the direction where the woman had pointed, eager to challenge the Gym right away.

Sawyer soon found himself in front of the Santalune Gym, a wide, green building with the iconic Pokemon Gym logo above the entrance. A young woman wearing a floral patterned, green shirt opened the door and saw Sawyer standing outside. "May I help you?" she asked.

"My name's Sawyer," he replied. "I've come here for a Gym Battle!"

"I see," the woman said. "The Gym Leader has just gone off for a walk. She should be here shortly."

"Well, looks like you're ready to challenge the Gym already, huh?" said the same blonde woman in the white tank-top who Sawyer had met early.

Sawyer spun around, surprised when he saw who it was. "It's you!" he exclaimed.

"You see, that's Viola," the woman in the green tee-shirt stated. "She's the Gym Leader of the Santalune Gym."

Sawyer's eyes widened in shock. What were the odds that he would not only meet the Gym Leader before arriving at his next Gym challenge, but also have his life saved by them? "You're the Gym Leader?" he asked.

"That's right," Viola replied. "So, what do you say? Are you ready to battle?"

Once it had sunken in that the person who saved him was the Gym Leader, Sawyer realized that he was also up against the same person who managed to chase away those persistent Murkrow with only a couple of attacks. He realized that this battle could be trickier than he anticipated. "Actually, would it be okay if I plan out a strategy before we have our Gym Battle?" Sawyer asked. "You see, the way that you chased off those Murkrow back there was amazing! I would like to have a strategy in place if my Pokemon and I going to be battling your Vivillon and Surskit."

"No problem. I will be awaiting your challenge at my Gym," Viola replied, as she and the other woman walked back into the Gym.

Sawyer spent the next several minutes reviewing the notes that he took during his encounter with Ash. As he thought back to how Ash was able to get himself out of various situations using improvised strategies, Sawyer questioned several times if the whole thing was a dream. While he was well-aware that everything he saw was real, as he had everything written down in his notebook, the whole experience still felt like a dream to him. During those three days in Laverre, he had spent so much time processing information that almost felt too amazing to be true, and then next thing he knew, he was waking up from a deep sleep in a completely different location. Thinking back to the experience, he could not help but feel as though all of it was his imagination, not to mention all the bizarre things that were happening to him right afterward. Even if it did feel like a dream, he knew that all the things he saw during those three days were in fact real. He knew that having that amazing experience in the back of mind would not only help him during his upcoming Gym Battle, but also help him in every battle he had down the road.


	10. A Slippery Challenge

Once Sawyer had a strategy in place for his Gym Battle against Viola, he arrived at the Santalune Gym, feeling confident and ready to go. The Gym's battlefield was inside a greenhouse, with multiple bushes and trees surrounding Sawyer and Viola as they prepared for their battle.

"The Gym Battle between Viola the Gym Leader, and Sawyer the challenge, is about to begin," the woman in the floral-patterned shirt announced. "Both sides will use two Pokemon, and the battle will be over when both Pokemon on either side are unable to continue. Also, only the challenger may substitute Pokemon."

"I can see in your eyes that you feel ready as can be," Viola stated. "But no matter what the situation, my lens is always focused on victory! Surskit, let's go!"

After Viola's Bug and Water-Type Pokemon emerged from its Poke Ball in a flash of blue light, Sawyer held up his Poke Ball. "Slurpuff, come on out!" he yelled, sending out his pink and white Fairy-Type Pokemon. Both it and Sawyer felt equally ready to battle.

"Battle, begin!" The referee declared.

"Okay, Slurpuff! Use Electro Ball!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Sluuuuur…_" Slurpuff shouted, surrounding itself in a veil of yellow sparks, before firing an orange and yellow orb of electrical energy toward its opponent. "_Puff!_"

"Surskit! Protect!" Viola ordered.

"_Surskit!_" Surskit shouted, blocking Slurpuff's attack by creating a turquoise barrier of energy.

"Now, Ice Beam!" Viola shouted.

"_Skit!_" Viola's Pokemon cried, as it summoned an orb of light blue energy above its antenna, then fired multiple light blue, frigid beams.

"Slurpuff! Dodge it!" Sawyer commanded. Slurpuff leaped upward as Surskit's Ice Beam struck the ground below it, as well as the rest of the battlefield, which left every inch of the field completely covered in ice. As soon as Slurpuff hit the frozen ground below it, it slipped and tumbled onto its back. "Slurpuff, are you okay?" Sawyer asked.

"_Puff,_" Slurpuff nodded reassuringly, slowly lifting itself up and finding its balance

"Alright! Use Fairy Wind!" Sawyer ordered.

"Surskit! Dodge it, quick!" Viola commanded.

As Slurpuff fired a powerful gust of pink wind toward Surskit, its opponent began swiftly skating across the frozen battlefield, effortlessly evading Slurpuff's attack. "It's fast!" Sawyer exclaimed.

"Now, use Bubble Beam!" Viola shouted.

"_Sur-skiiiiiiiiit!_" Surskit squealed, firing a cluster of strong bubbles toward Slurpuff, causing it to flinch and slide back on the icy surface, then tumble backward once again.

"Slurpuff! No!" Sawyer cried, as his Slurpuff slowly lifted itself off the ground. "Then how about this? Use Attract!"

"Dodge, it Surskit!" Viola commanded.

As Surskit continued skating rapidly across the field, it successfully dodged each of the pink hearts Slurpuff had created that were floating toward it. "Keep using Attract, Slurpuff!" Sawyer instructed.

As Slurpuff continued to fire more and more pink hearts toward Surskit, it kept dodging one heart after another, as it moved further and further away from where it had been before. As the number of hearts in its way increased, Surskit lost sight of where its opponent had been standing. Eventually, it found itself face to face with Slurpuff! Surskit then began to panic, realizing that they were only a few inches away from one another. Not too long after, one of Slurpuff's Attracts came in contact with Surskit, causing it to become infatuated and immobilized. It gazed at its opponent in complete admiration and lost all the will to battle.

"Surskit, no!" Viola cried.

"Electro Ball go!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Slurpuff!_" Slurpuff cried, firing another yellow, electrified orb and successfully landing a hit. It sent the confused Surskit sliding dozens of feet across the battlefield before it hit the wall behind its trainer. It then laid where it was on the ground, out for the count.

"Surskit is unable to battle! Slurpuff wins!"

"We did it, Slurpuff!" Sawyer shouted, raising his fist into the air. "Our strategy worked!"

"_Slurpuff!_" his Pokemon cried with much delight, having just as big a smile on its face as its trainer did.

After Viola returned her Pokemon back to its Poke Ball, she looked over toward Sawyer and smiled. "I have to say, I'm impressed," she said. "I wasn't expecting you to use Attract to lure Surskit in the way you did."

"Thanks," Sawyer responded. "I came up with that strategy while I was planning for our Gym Battle earlier."

"Well, all that planning sure paid off," Viola remarked, as she held up her next Poke Ball. "But my lens is still focused on victory, and nothing is gonna ruin this shot! Vivillon, let's go!" Viola threw her Poke Ball to the battlefield, and out came her graceful, pink-winged, Bug and Flying-Type Pokemon. "Vivillon, Sleep Powder!"

Sawyer's entire body froze up. "Did you say Sleep Powder?" he exclaimed.

As Vivillon scattered a blanket of green spores onto the battlefield, Sawyer slowly backed away from them. His arm muscles were as stiff and tense as stone, as he watched the somniferous powder spread across the arena. Although he was nowhere near the spores, it horrified him seeing their resemblance to the spores that knocked him out just the previous day. That was the last memory that he had before he found himself flying above the city ground. He tightly closed his eyes and began to tremble, recalling the image of the cement ground speeding toward him, as if he were trying to prepare for the impact. Once the flashback ended, Sawyer realized that the battle was still going on! He opened his eyes, and saw his Slurpuff laying on the icy ground, off in dreamland.

"Slurpuff, no!" Sawyer shouted.

"A picture-perfect opportunity!" Viola declared. "Vivillon, Solar Beam!"

"_Viviiiii!_" Vivillon said, as it began to store up light green energy between its antennae, which it gathered from the bright sun above the greenhouse windows.

"Slurpuff, you've gotta wake up!" Sawyer cried. "Please!" But it was too late. Once Vivillon was ready, it launched a scorching, yellow beam toward Slurpuff. The blast resulted in a huge explosion, which caused his Pokemon to slide several feet backward. Once it stopped, it laid where it was and did not move. "Slurpuff!"

"Slurpuff is unable to battle, Vivillon is the winner!" the referee shouted.

"Slurpuff!" Sawyer cried, dashing toward his wounded Pokemon, then slowly helping it sit upward. "Are you okay?"

"_Puff…_" Slurpuff muttered, beginning to wake up before nodding reassuringly.

"I'm sorry, Slurpuff…" Sawyer said, closing his eyes in guilt. "I was caught off guard by that Sleep Powder. I should have stayed on my guard while the battle was going on."

"_Slurpuff, Puff…_" Slurpuff mumbled, giving its trainer a gentle pat on the arm as a sign of forgiveness.

"You take a good rest, okay?" Sawyer said, pointing the red light from his Poke Ball toward Slurpuff and calling it back. He then stood up and faced Viola's Vivillon with a brave look in his eyes. _It's just like what Ash said,_ he thought to himself. _A trainer always needs to remain calm during battle, so that their Pokemon can feel calm as well. I'll need to remember to do that if I want to win that Gym Badge._ He knew that no matter how scary that experience may have been, he could not let that fear affect how his Pokemon felt during their battle. Ready to face the challenge, Sawyer held up his next Poke Ball and smiled confidently. "Alright. Let's win this together, Grovyle. Come on out!"

Sawyer hurled his next Poke Ball toward the field, as his partner Pokemon popped out in a flash of brilliant light. "Grovyle!" The sleek, bipedal Grass-Type Pokemon growled.

"Alright! Use Agility!" Sawyer shouted.

"_Grow!_" Grovyle roared, as it began zipping across the battlefield with its newly increased speed, soon catching Vivillon off guard.

"Vivillon! Use Gust again!" Viola commanded.

"_Viiiillon-on-on!_" Vivillon cried, flapping its wings and creating an enormous gust of wind, blowing Grovyle into the wall beside Sawyer.

"Grovyle! Are you okay?" Sawyer asked.

"_Gro!_" Grovyle replied, looking confidently at its trainer.

"Alright! Use Agility!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Gro-vyle!_" Grovyle roared, getting back on its feet and beginning to dash even faster than before.

"Vivillon! Use Gust again!" Viola shouted.

"Keep using Agility!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Villooooooon!_" Vivillon cried, vigorously flapping its wings while spinning around in a circle, trying to blow Grovyle off its feet. Grovyle, however, managed to dodge each and every one of the gusts, as it zipped its way across the edges of the battlefield.

"Now use Bullet Seed!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Gro!_" Grovyle growled, leaping upward from a ledge surrounding the trees and bushes. Having launched itself dozens of feet into the air, Grovyle positioned itself directly above Vivillon. The inside of its mouth then began to glow light green, before it launched a cluster of seeds toward its opponent, sending it plummeting to the icy ground.

"No! Vivillon!" Viola cried.

"Leech Seed let's go!" Sawyer instructed.

"_Grovyle!_" From where it was in the air, Sawyer's Pokemon then launched thicker seeds around where Vivillon was laying. The seeds immediately grew into thick, brown plants that latched onto Vivillon, before draining away its energy.

"Vivillon! Hang in there!" Viola shouted.

"Alright, Grovyle! Use Leaf Blade!" Sawyer called.

"Vivillon! Psychic let's go!" Viola commanded.

"_Villooooooon!_" Vivillon cried, as its eyes glowed light blue once again, trapping Grovyle in a field of blue energy and sending it flying toward the wall beside Sawyer.

"Grovyle! Can you still go on?" Sawyer asked.

"_Gro!_" Grovyle replied, reassuring its trainer.

"Alright! Use Agility!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Vyle!_" Grovyle roared, beginning to dash its way across each corner of the battlefield once again. The longer it dashed, the more it sped up, giving it the ability to keep its distance from Vivillon.

"Now go behind Vivillon and use Leaf Blade!"

"_Gro..._" Grovyle whispered as the leaves on its right arm began to glow light green while merging and extending. "_Vyle!_" It then swung its extended leaf at its opponent, defeating it once and for all.

"Vivillon! No!" Viola cried.

"Vivillon is unable to battle! Grovyle wins!" The referee declared. "Which means the match goes to the challenger, Sawyer!"

"Yes! Grovyle, we won! We won our second Gym Battle!" Sawyer cheered, overjoyed not just because of his victory, but also because of his successful attempt at following the advice Ash had given him the previous day.

"_Grovyle!_" Grovyle shouted, equally thrilled after such a fun and engaging battle.

"Thank you, Vivillon. You were amazing. Now take a good rest," Viola said, calling back her tired Pokemon. She then looked toward her challenger and walked up toward him. "Congratulations on your win, Sawyer."

"Thanks," Sawyer replied. "As you could see, I was a little thrown off guard by that Sleep Powder attack. But it was thanks to Grovyle that we were able to move our way around Vivillon's attacks. It really felt to me like Grovyle and I were battling as one. Did it feel that way for you, Grovyle?"

"_Gro,_" Grovyle responded as it smiled and nodded its head in agreement.

"I can tell the two of you were in sync," Viola remarked. "Even after that surprise from Sleep Powder, you and your Pokemon still managed to pull through. I have to say, your team showed me a great example of connection that I haven't seen in quite a while. And for that, I am happy to present you with the Bug Badge." The referee presented Sawyer with a gift case, containing a small, brown badge resembling that of an insect's head.

"Thanks very much, Viola!" Sawyer cheered, taking the Gym Badge from the gift case, and holding it up in front of himself. As he held it up at eye level for his Pokemon to see, Sawyer contemplated on how he would look back on this Gym Badge with not only the memories of his triumph, but also with the lesson he learned that led to that triumph. Having a shocking experience such as being put to sleep and dropped into a city may seem valueless at first glance. If you achieve something by overcoming that induced fear however, it will make you stronger in nearly every aspect of life, not just with being a trainer. These are the kind of moments that show what someone is really made of. As long as you are willing to face your fear, you will emerge from the tunnel feeling much more strong and confident.

"So, where do you plan to go for your next Gym Battle?" Viola asked.

"Huh?" Sawyer replied, realizing he was in a completely different part of the region than before. "I'm not sure..." he stated.

"You said that you had planned on going to the Coumarine Gym, is that right?" Viola asked as Sawyer nodded his head. "Well, I happen to know a shortcut to Coumarine City. If you walk three buildings left from the Pokemon Center, you'll find a stream that will lead you there much faster than if you take the route to Lumiose City. I also happen to know that there is a Gym on the way there that you might want to challenge."

"Really?" Sawyer asked.

Viola nodded her head. "Gym Leader Marino may not have been Gym Leader for very long, but he's really strong, and I am sure he will happily accept your challenge."

"Thank you so much!" Sawyer shouted joyously. "I'll head to that Gym right away!"

"Well then, best of luck in future battles," Viola said. "Keep working together with your Pokemon, and you'll do just fine."

"Thanks," Sawyer responded, nodding his head.


	11. Testing the Waters

Following Viola's advice, Sawyer began taking the route that led to the Gym that she had mentioned was on the way. While it was a moderately quiet walk, similar to the walk through the Laverre Nature Trail, it was a bit of a relief for Sawyer. After four consecutive days of multiple significant events happening one after another, Sawyer saw this as a nice change of pace. He felt ready for a break after meeting Ash, almost losing his notebook, watching his Treecko evolve, being lulled to sleep, getting dropped into a city, and winning his next badge in a totally different part of Kalos. Sawyer finally got the break that he needed after experiencing a wide, _wide_ range of emotions during those three hectic days.

After two days of traveling across the route, Sawyer found a trainer standing near a pond, who had two aquatic Pokemon on his team. The trainer himself had short, blue hair, square glasses, and a black tee-shirt with the image of one of his Pokemon on the front. The three of them appeared to be doing a performance routine.

"Now Lumineon, use Aqua Ring!" the boy commanded.

"_Lumin…_" muttered the Pokemon on the boy's shirt as it emerged from the water. It had dark blue scales, large and wavy fins, and half-closed, pink eyes. As it leaped its way to the other side of the pond, it created three circles of floating water behind itself.

"Goldeen, use Double Team!" the boy instructed.

"_Goldeen, Goldeen…_" whispered the boy's other Pokemon, who was still underwater. It had long and wavy fins, much like Lumineon, as well as white and orange scales, and a sharp horn on its forehead. Its body briefly glowed white, before it created two illusionary duplicates of itself. They then positioned themselves directly below the three Aqua Rings.

"Now use Horn Attack!" the boy ordered.

"_Goldeen!_" the three Goldeen cried, jumping straight up toward the Aqua Rings, causing them to explode and fall back down into the water. This created a fountain-like image, which caused Sawyer to widen his eyes as Goldeen fell back into the pond. After the clones disappeared, Lumineon and Goldeen peeked their heads out of the water, while their trainer knelt down and smiled at them both.

"Great work, you two," he said. "Your routine just keeps getting better and better."

Once the performance was done, Sawyer walked up toward the trainer. "Hey, that performance you and your Pokemon did just now was incredible," he remarked.

"Why thank you," the boy said, gazing up into the sky. "I just love the wonderful, wonderful illusions of water… Yes, the extra wonderful is crucial. That's how amazing it truly is. The way one little movement can create a ripple that will add extra dimension to everything within that body of water... It's fantastic… Even in still water, everything looks so distorted and fascinating. It's like you're looking through a magnifying glass that can move freely at its own will. Water truly is the most marvelous element on this planet, wouldn't you agree?"

Sawyer stood where he was, unsure of how to respond. "Um… I-I guess so…" he stammered, trying to be polite.

"I couldn't agree more!" the boy declared. "And to think I am fortunate enough to have befriended these two Water-Type Pokemon. Not only are Goldeen and Lumineon very pleasant and sweet by nature, but they also possess the talent of making themselves look even more glamorous than the water they inhabit. The way that Goldeen's fins flow elegantly under the water's surface as it prepares to jump, I can see why it was given the nickname, 'The Water Queen'. And the way Lumineon's beauty can grab the attention of those who are not even as captivated by water as I am, it's no wonder that it's been labeled 'The Beautifly of the Sea'. Or is it its pre-evolution Finneon who's called 'The Beautifly of the Sea'? I can't remember… Anyhow, I am sure that these two Pokemon's glamour and beauty will shine even more brightly when we face off against our next challenger."

"Next challenger?" Sawyer asked. "Are you saying you're a Gym Leader?"

"That's right," the boy replied. "The name's Marino. You've heard of me?"

"Viola from the Santalune Gym mentioned you," Sawyer stated. "She said that you were really strong."

"Viola, huh?" Marino asked. "I've seen her in battle before. She's quite a strong Gym Leader, isn't she? I take it you've challenged her Gym?"

"That's right," Sawyer replied. "And I managed to win my second Gym Badge from her. My name is Sawyer, and I've come here from the Hoenn region. I was hoping I'd run into you, so I could challenge you to a Gym Battle."

"Then you have come to the right place," Marino said. "Welcome to the… the… Ver… Ver… I know it sounds like percent. Just give me a minute… Yes! Versant Gym! Welcome to the Versant Gym. As the Gym Leader, I accept your challenge. I just need a couple minutes to get my Pokemon ready. I will let you know when the three of us are ready to battle." As Marino made his way to the Gym, Sawyer began to question how Marino managed to become Gym Leader in the first place. Though he knew Marino had not been Gym Leader for long, he did not think that a Gym Leader could possibly forget the name of their own Gym, given that they are usually named after the area that they live in. Nonetheless, he felt confident that battling him would be a great experience for him.

While he was waiting for Marino, Sawyer took note of what he had observed from Marino's Pokemon's performance routine. He knew that with defensive moves such as Double Team and Aqua Ring, both of his Pokemon would be tricky to defeat. Sawyer also knew that their ability to hide underwater would likely make things difficult as well. By looking back at the notes he had taken earlier on in his journey, he was able to figure out which strategies would be most likely to work in this type of situation. After a few minutes of brainstorming, he closed his notebook, feeling ready to challenge the Gym.

Marino led Sawyer into his Gym, which was not that far from the pond where he and his Pokemon had been rehearsing. Inside the wide, blue and white building was a giant arena surrounded by bleachers, and several huge water pipes pointing toward what seemed to be the Gym's battlefield. The battlefield looked like an empty pool and was around twenty feet deep with four round platforms lying down at the bottom.

"I welcome you to my Gym," Marino said. "I ask that you stand back while I get the battlefield ready." He then closed his eyes and clapped his hands twice. Nothing happened. He tried it again. Nothing happened. He then groaned and began clapping vigorously. After the third clap, the pipes activated and poured out a massive amount of water into the battlefield. In only about ten seconds, the empty pool was completely filled. "Hey, it worked!" Marino cheered before he suddenly realized something. Something important. "Oh, that's right. I need to clap three times, not two…"

"Wow!" Sawyer exclaimed. "For a Water-Type Gym, this battlefield looks perfect!"

"I don't know," Marino said, putting his hand on his chin. "To me, it seems like too much water… I'd give it a seven-point-eight out of ten. Anyhow, what do you say we get this battle started?"

"You bet!" Sawyer replied.

Once both trainers went to their side of the arena, the referee, who wore a white suit with orange patterns similar to Goldeen's fins, stepped beside the battlefield. "The Gym Battle between Marino the Gym Leader, and Sawyer the challenger, is about to get underway," he announced. "Both trainers will have the use of two Pokemon, and when either trainer loses both of their Pokemon, the battle will be over. In addition, only the challenger may substitute their Pokemon at any time."

"I hope you're ready, Sawyer," Marino said, with a self-assured grin on his face. "You're about to see just what my Pokemon are truly made of." He held up his first Poke Ball and prepared to toss it toward the field. "Lumineon, let's… wait… is this Lumineon? I'm pretty sure I always have Lumineon in the front since it's the Pokemon I usually send out to battle first. Then again, maybe I put Goldeen in the front since it's the Pokemon that always starts off our performance routine. Eh, but it didn't start off the routine we just did…"

While Marino was mumbling to himself, Sawyer, not hearing what Marino was saying, started to become concerned. "Is everything alright, Marino?" he asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Marino reassured him. "Lumineon, let's go!" Marino threw his Poke Ball toward the battlefield, and out came his first Pokemon.

"_Goldeen, Goldeen,_" the Pokemon said, much to Marino's shock. Seeing that he had sent out the wrong Pokemon, Sawyer desperately tried to hold back his laughter. He felt bad for Marino, but at the same time, this was likely one of the silliest things he had seen on his journey so far.

"So, it _was_ Goldeen after all…" Marino muttered. "Well, the rules do say that I can't substitute Pokemon at any time, so I guess I'll have to go with Plan B. But that's okay. Because we can do it, right Goldeen?"

"_Goldeen,_" the Pokemon replied, equally confident as Marino.

_So, he's using Goldeen, huh?_ Sawyer thought to himself. _I know that Goldeen can use Double Team. Maybe Grovyle's speed and reflexes will be able to counter it. We'll just have to see… _He then held up his Poke Ball and hurled it toward the battlefield. "Grovyle, let's go!" he cried.

"_Gro!_" Grovyle shouted, appearing from its Poke Ball in a flash of blue light, ready for the battle to start.

"Battle, begin!" the referee shouted.

"Grovyle, use Leaf Blade!" Sawyer commanded.

"Goldeen, use Dive!" Marino called.

"_Gro…_" Grovyle whispered merging the three leaves on its arms and charging in toward its opponent. "_Vyle!_" But as soon as Grovyle reached where Goldeen was, Goldeen managed to dodge the attack by hiding underwater.

"Now use Double Team!" Marino shouted.

"_Goldeen, Goldeen…_" Goldeen muttered, creating several copies of itself under the water as they all swam rapidly across the entire pool.

"W-Which one's the real one?" Sawyer cried, before shaking his head and snapping out of his state of panic. "Right! I need to stay calm. Heads up, Grovyle!"

"_Gro!_" Grovyle responded, nodding its head.

"Horn Attack let's go!" Marino ordered.

"Goldeen!" Goldeen roared, leaping out of the water, then striking Grovyle in the stomach with its sharp horn.

"Grovyle, quick! Use Leaf Blade!" Sawyer hollered, as Grovyle swung its arm and struck its opponent, sending it flying back to Marino.

"A job well done," Marino remarked. "Use Dive!"

Goldeen once again dove headfirst into the pool, disappearing from Sawyer's sight. This time, however, Sawyer knew what he needed to do. "Use Agility, Grovyle!"

"_Grovyle!_" Sawyer's Pokemon growled as it began leaping from platform to platform with the speed and grace of a ninja.

"Wow! Your Grovyle's really fast!" Marino commented. "Alright then, Goldeen! Use Ice Beam!"

"_Goldeen…_" Goldeen muttered. It remained where it was, carefully determining the patterns of Grovyle's movements by observing when each of the platforms moved. "_Goooollll!_" Goldeen cried, leaping out of the water and forming a light blue orb of freezing energy. "_Deen!_" It then fired several zigzagged beams toward Grovyle's feet, causing them to freeze and remain stuck on the platform.

"No Grovyle!" Sawyer cried.

"Use Dive, again!" Marino commanded, as Goldeen dove back into the water below. "Now use Double Team!"

As Goldeen once again created several illusionary copies of itself, Sawyer tried his best to remain calm while observing the Goldeen. _What would Ash do…?_ he thought to himself, trying to figure out how Grovyle might be able to land hit on the real Goldeen without moving. _I got it!_ With an assured grin on his face, Sawyer turned toward his Pokemon. "Grovyle! Stay where you are! Once you sense where Goldeen is about to come out of the water, use Leaf Blade!"

"_Gro!_" Grovyle nodded, before closing its eyes and paying close attention to the sounds surrounding it. All it could hear was the sound of the Goldeen swimming rapidly, though it knew it would have to come out of the water at some point.

"Use Horn Attack!" Marino ordered.

"_Goldeen!_" Goldeen shouted, emerging from the water as Grovyle sensed the splashing sound from behind it. Grovyle quickly spun around and swiped the glowing leaves on its arm against Goldeen. "_Deeeeeen!_" Goldeen cried as it flew straight toward the edge of the pool, next to where Marino was standing.

"Goldeen! No!" Marino cried.

"Goldeen is unable to battle!" The judge proclaimed. "Grovyle is the winner!"

"Alright!" Sawyer cheered, as Grovyle raised its fist into the air, just like it did when it was a Treecko.

Marino pointed his Poke Ball toward his dazed Pokemon and called it back. "Thank you very much Goldeen. You were wonderful. Now take a nice, long rest," he said, before looking toward his opponent. "I have to say, Sawyer, you and your Grovyle make quite a strong team."

"Thanks," Sawyer responded. "Grovyle was my very first Pokemon. The two of us have been through quite a lot of battles since we set off on our journey."

"I can tell just by watching you two," Marino remarked. "As long as you keep up the hard work, I have no doubt in my mind that the two of you will make it all the way to the Kalos League."

"Really?" Sawyer muttered, as his eyes began to sparkle. "Thank you so much! I'll make a note of it!"

"I like your spirit," Marino stated. "But you will still need to get through my last Pokemon if you wish to win this battle. Lumineon, come on out!"

Marino's Poke Ball popped open, and out came his elegant, dark blue Water-Type. "_Lumin…_" it mumbled, ready to battle.


	12. Now You See It, Now You Don't

"Grovyle, use Bullet Seed!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Gro…_" Grovyle roared, still with its feet frozen on the platform. It formed a light green orb of energy in its mouth, then launched a cluster of seeds toward Lumineon. "_Gro! Gro! Gro!_" Although it seemed to have affected Marino's Pokemon quite a bit, it managed to remain where it was, enduring the Bullet Seed attack.

"Lumineon! Dive let's go!" Marino ordered, as Lumineon swiftly dove underwater. "Now use Aqua Ring!"

"_Lumin…_" Lumineon cried, surrounding itself in multiple, blue rings of energy.

"Use Bullet Seed!" Sawyer shouted.

"Lumineon! Dodge it!" Marino instructed, and Lumineon moved around the seeds that were coming its way, still being surrounded by the veil of blue energy.

_It's no good,_ Sawyer thought to himself. _The longer Lumineon stays underwater, the more strength it will recover with Aqua Ring._

"Now! Use Signal Beam!" Marino ordered.

"_Lumin!_" Lumineon roared, firing a streaky, pink beam of energy toward Grovyle, creating an enormous explosion of black smoke.

"Grovyle! No!" Sawyer cried as he shielded his eyes from the explosion.

"Grovyle is unable to battle!" the judge stated. "Lumineon is the winner!"

"Grovyle, you were great," Sawyer said, returning his wounded Pokemon back to its Poke Ball. "You deserve a good rest."

"As you can see, Aqua Ring is one of Lumineon's specialties," said Marino. "The only question is, how do you intend to get past it?"

_As long as Lumineon can move around freely, it will continue to heal itself with Aqua Ring,_ Sawyer thought. _There has to be a way I can get Lumineon to stop moving, just for a moment…_ He went over each of the moves that Slakoth, Bagon, and Slurpuff knew in his head, trying to think if any of them would be able to stop Lumineon. _That's it!_ Sawyer held up his next Poke Ball, feeling confident with his choice. "Bagon, let's go!"

"_Bagon!_" Sawyer's Pokemon roared, emerging from its Poke Ball.

"So, you decided to send out a Dragon-Type, huh?" Marino asked. "Alright then. Lumineon, use Ice Beam!"

"Bagon! Dodge it, quick!" Sawyer commanded, as his Bagon swiftly jumped above the frigid beam of energy. "Now use Dragon Breath!"

"_Baaa… Gon!_" Bagon shrieked as it launched a gush of blue, fiery energy toward Lumineon. The attack landed, and Lumineon's movement began to subtly decrease.

"Alright, Lumineon! Use Dive!" Marino shouted, as his Lumineon hid underwater once again.

"Here it comes, Bagon!" Sawyer warned his Pokemon.

"_Gon!_" Bagon replied, feeling completely in sync with its trainer.

"Ice Beam, now!" Marino commanded.

Lumineon emerged from the water, then fired an icy-cold beam of zigzagged energy from its mouth toward its opponent.

"Use Incinerate!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Gon!_" Bagon growled as it launched a sphere of bright fire toward Lumineon's beam of ice, creating a big steam cloud in the process.

"Use Dive, again!" Marino instructed as Lumineon dove its way back into the water for protection. "Now use Ice Beam!" Upon Marino's command, Lumineon jumped back out of the water and prepared to fire another blast of light blue energy.

"Incinerate!" Sawyer shouted as the two attacks collided again, almost exactly like they did before.

"What is he planning…?" Marino murmured. "Use Dive, one more time!" Lumineon once again dove underwater and remained there for a few seconds, waiting for its trainer's command. "Now use Signal Beam!"

"_Lumin!_" Lumineon cried, launching itself out of the water while it prepared to launch its attack. "_Lumin…_" Instead of attacking, however, Marino's Pokemon remained where it was in mid-air, unable to move at all! This showed Sawyer that Lumineon was paralyzed due to the added effects of Dragon Breath.

"Now's our chance!" Sawyer declared. "Use Headbutt!"

"_Bagon!_" Bagon hollered, as it launched itself headfirst toward Lumineon and landed a potent headbutt, causing it to flinch.

"Let's finish this with Dragon Claw!" Sawyer shouted.

"_Bay!_" Bagon growled, surrounding its stubby arm in a green, claw-shaped energy field and leaping toward the weakened Lumineon. "_Gon!_" It then slashed its opponent and sent it flying straight toward the end of the battlefield, right next to where its trainer was standing.

"Lumineon is unable to battle!" the judge announced. "Bagon is the winner! Which means the match goes to Sawyer the challenger!"

"Yes!" Sawyer shouted joyously. "We did it, Bagon! We- huh?"

_Smash!_

Just as it did the past three times, Bagon launched itself headfirst toward its trainer and headbutted him on the chest. Immobilized from the impact, Sawyer toppled over like a tree while his Pokemon happily remained in his arms, as if nothing had happened. Just as he did the last three times however, Sawyer managed to lift himself off the ground and give his Pokemon a smile. No matter how many times Bagon may have caused him to fall down, he never had the heart to scold Bagon. He knew it was Bagon's way of showing its affection, the affection that a Pokemon developed when they and their trainer formed a powerful battling team. "Way to go, Bagon," Sawyer said. "It was thanks to you that we managed to beat that Lumineon."

"_Bagon! Bagon!_" Bagon cheered, nuzzling its trainer.

"Congratulations on your victory, Sawyer," Marino said, walking up toward his challenger. "You earned it."

"Thanks," Sawyer said, standing up while holding Bagon in his arms. "I have to say, that battle was pretty tough. But it was thanks to Grovyle and Bagon's hard work that we were able to turn things around. Isn't that right, Bagon?"

"_Bagon!_" Bagon cried, blushing as it continued to nuzzle Sawyer affectionately.

"Well, judging by your performance, I can easily see that you have complete faith in your Pokemon, and I respect that very much," Marino remarked.

"Thanks a lot, Marino!" Sawyer responded.

"So where do you plan to head for your next Gym Battle?" Marino asked.

"Right now, I'm on my way to Coumarine City," Sawyer stated.

Hearing the name "Coumarine City" immediately caught Marino's attention. "Ah yes, Coumarine City," he said, staring off into space. "The city of Kalos with the amazing ocean view. Ah, the ocean… Nothing beats Coumarine City's view of the ocean… I've always found it interesting how both Coumarine City and myself have word 'marine' in our names. It truly is the perfect city for me… Oh, and the Gym's pretty good too. You should definitely challenge it. Gym Leader Ramos is very strong but seeing how well you and your Pokemon performed today, I believe you definitely have what it takes to beat him."

"Thanks, Marino!" Sawyer said. "I'll do my best!"

"Well, then. I look forward to seeing you again," Marino stated, waving his hand.

"Right. See you," Sawyer said, before making his way to the exit. As he continued along the route to the next city, with a smile on his face, he began thinking back to how he had made it to that part of the region in the first place. Even though the Murkrow had unexpectedly taken him to a completely different part of Kalos, he was in some ways glad that it happened. He could have done without being put to sleep, followed by getting dropped into a city, but at least he got to battle against three Gym Leaders within the span of four days. Not to mention they were all very easygoing people. Following all that commotion, Sawyer now had his hands on three Gym Badges… or did he?

Realizing that he forgot to receive a Gym Badge, Sawyer panicked and began racing back into Marino's Gym. Once he arrived, Marino gave him a smile, but also a look of confusion.

"Hey, Sawyer. How come you're in such a hurry?" Marino asked, just before the realized what he had done. "Oh… I forgot to give you a Gym Badge… Well, now that you've exited the Gym without a badge, I'll guess we'll need to have another battle."

"Wha-?" Sawyer exclaimed.

"I'm teasing, I'm teasing," Marino said with a chuckle. "Oh, it gets the challengers every time. Of course, I'll give you a Gym Badge. After all, you earned it." The referee walked up to Marino with a gift case, which contained a badge resembling a collection of blue bubbles. "Here's proof that you won at the Versant Gym. The Ripple Badge. I wish you the best of luck at the Coumarine Gym."

"Thanks very much, Marino!" Sawyer said as he took the Gym Badge from Marino's hand. He knew he must have forgotten something as he was walking out the Gym, and now it was clear why. With the Gym Badge being the symbol of his victory at each Gym, receiving the badge had always felt like a defining moment for him. Now that he could look at the Gym Badge, the victory felt more real to him. He was now halfway toward reaching Ash's level, and almost halfway toward competing in the Kalos League.


	13. Keep Puffing Along

Once Sawyer made his way out of the forest where Marino's Gym was located, he began encountering many more trainers along that path. Encountering these trainers on the way to the next town took him back to his travels through Hoenn, where he and his Treecko tried their hand at battling for the first time. It felt very similar to that experience, except now he got to share it with all his Pokemon. After he and his Pokemon achieved several victories together and gained lots of experience in the process, Sawyer felt ready to challenge the Coumarine Gym.

After eleven days of traveling through this nostalgia-evoking route, Sawyer finally made it to his destination: Coumarine City. Upon arriving in this moderately big city, Sawyer went aboard the monorail that led to the Gym. Traveling on a monorail track was unlike anything that Sawyer had experienced before, both throughout his journey and prior to it. It felt as if he was riding on a hovering train from the future. Sawyer could easily understand why Ash's friend Bonnie brought it up as an exciting feature of Coumarine City. Looking out the windows, he was also able to admire the city view from afar, as well as the breath-taking view of the ocean that Marino mentioned earlier. Getting to travel in this new way made Sawyer appreciate just how much he got to explore the world by going on this journey. Before then, the most that he got to experience other than his one-time trip to the Hoenn League Championships was an occasional road trip to the nearby Petalburg City. Not having a guardian who was able to take him on a plane ride, Sawyer never knew what he had been missing out on. He knew that making it to Coumarine City was well worth the wait and that he would always cherish the memories of his visit there, as well as his entire Pokemon journey.

As Sawyer walked across the grassy outskirts of the city, where the Coumarine Gym was located, he soon came across a battle between two trainers. The battle was between a young girl wearing a white sweater and a pink skirt, and an elderly man wearing a green cap, a buttoned shirt, and suspenders.

"Alright, Jigglypuff! Use Charge Beam!" the girl commanded.

"_Jiggleeeeee…_" the girl's little pink and round Pokemon squealed, forming a sphere of yellow electricity in front of its mouth, then firing a yellow energy beam toward its opponent. "_Puff!_"

"Gogoat! Use Razor Leaf!" the man ordered.

The man's Pokemon, Gogoat, was a tall, quadruped Pokemon with brown and green fur and long, grey horns extending over its back. From the green fur surrounding its neck, it fired multiple razor-sharp leaves to its opponent's electrical beam. The two attacks then collided, creating an explosion of black smoke.

"Double Slap let's go!" the girl shouted.

"_Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff!_" cried the little Pokemon, as it dashed toward Gogoat while holding up its tiny, but powerful arm.

"Use Grass Knot!" the man instructed.

Before Jigglypuff could get anywhere near Gogoat, the tall Grass-Type manipulated two blades of grass near Jigglypuff's feet and tied the two of them together. This caused Jigglypuff to fall over.

"Jigglypuff! No!" the girl cried.

"Now use Horn Leech!" the man shouted, as Gogoat's horns began to glow bright green. It then launched two green beams from those horns toward Jigglypuff, causing the little Pokemon to fly back toward the girl, knocking it out in the process.

"Amazing…" Sawyer muttered, watching all this taking place.

"Jigglypuff, are you okay?" the girl asked, kneeling down as her Jigglypuff opened its bright, blue eyes and smiled at its trainer.

"_Jiggly…_" It mumbled, nodding its head.

"You were wonderful, Jigglypuff. Take a nice rest, okay?" the girl said, returning her Pokemon back into its Poke Ball before looking up at the elderly man. "Thank you for the battle, Ramos."

"My pleasure," Ramos responded. "Yeh just keep on training side by side with yer Jigglypuff, and the two o' yeh are bound to become even stronger."

"Thanks very much!" the girl said, before heading to the city.

Astounded by Ramos' battling skills, Sawyer promptly ran up toward him. "Excuse me, sir!" he said. "That battle you and your Gogoat had just now was incredible! You Gogoat's really well-trained!"

"Why thank yeh, young whippersnapper," Ramos said. "I reckon yer a trainer as well, is that correct?"

Sawyer nodded in reply. "May I have a battle with you sir, please?" he asked. "You see, right now I'm on a Gym Battle journey, and I'm on my way to challenge the Coumarine Gym. I'm sure that being able to battle you would help me and my Pokemon gain lots of experience before our Gym Battle!"

"Hmm…" Ramos replied with a grin. "In that case, I would love to have a battle with yeh."

"You would?" Sawyer asked. "Thank you so much!"

Once both trainers had their Pokemon ready, Ramos with Gogoat and Sawyer with Bagon, the battle was ready to begin.

"Bagon! Use Dragon Breath!" Sawyer shouted.

"_Bay…_" Bagon cried, preparing to fire a blast of blue energy toward Gogoat. "_Goooooon!_"

"Gogoat! Use Razor Leaf!" Ramos commanded.

Ramos' Pokemon launched another series of sharp leaves toward Bagon's Dragon Breath, causing the two attacks to collide evenly.

"Incinerate, now!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Gon!_" Bagon roared, forming a sphere of fire with a bright center.

"Use Leech Seed!" Ramos instructed.

Upon Ramos' command, Gogoat fired multiple brown seeds next to where Bagon was standing. The seeds then grew into grey vines and bound Bagon, stopping it from attacking. The vines then began to drain away its energy.

"Bagon! No!" Sawyer cried.

"Razor Leaf go!" Ramos commanded, as his Gogoat fired another cluster of leaves, which sent Bagon flying into the air.

"Alright, Bagon! Use Dragon Breath!" Sawyer shouted.

"_Bagon!_" Bagon growled, launching a fiery blast of energy which successfully struck its opponent.

"Now, Gogoat! Use Horn Leech!" Ramos ordered.

The horns on Gogoat's head once again began to glow light green, before it launched a beam of energy toward Sawyer's Bagon, rendering it unconscious.

"Bagon!" Sawyer cried.

"Looks like that's it," Ramos stated, walking up toward Sawyer, who was kneeling down to make sure his Pokemon was okay.

Sawyer gently held his Bagon in his arms, as it began to wake up. "Thanks, Bagon," Sawyer said. "You battled really well."

"_Bagon…_" Bagon mumbled, smiling despite its exhausted state as it began nuzzling Sawyer's cheek.

"C-come on! That t-tickles, Bagon!" Sawyer stuttered in laughter.

"I have to say, whippersnapper, yeh and yer Bagon battled quite well," Ramos remarked. "But yeh've still got a lot o' training to do if yeh wish to beat the Coumarine Gym Leader."

"Huh…?" Sawyer muttered. "Do you know the Coumarine Gym Leader, Ramos? Hold on… I know that I've heard the name Ramos before…" Sawyer could sense that he had heard the name quite recently. He tried thinking back to the conversations he was having with the trainers he met on the route to Coumarine City, as well as his encounter with Marino. "That's it!" he exclaimed. "Marino from the Versant Gym mentioned you! You're the Coumarine Gym Leader!"

Ramos smiled at his soon-to-be challenger. "Yes, I am the Gym Leader," he stated. "I'll be awaiting yer challenge at my Gym."

"I have to say, your Gogoat is pretty tough," Sawyer remarked. "I'll need to come up with a really well-thought-out strategy if I want to beat it in a battle."

"A little piece o' advice before I leave," Ramos said. "While some situations can be solved just fine by approaching them head-on, other times its best to take the side road instead. This can apply to any time o' situation, especially Pokemon battles. I recommend that yeh keep that in mind as you prepare for our Gym Battle."

"Right!" Sawyer responded, nodding his head.

"Well then, I look forward to our battle," Ramos said, climbing onto his Gogoat's back before making his way toward his Gym.

Sawyer stood upward while holding Bagon in his arms, pondering Ramos' words. "Taking the side road…" he muttered, as he thought back to how Gogoat managed to keep both Bagon and Jigglypuff away with its long-ranged moves. He agreed that approaching it head-on was not the way to go about it in this situation. He knew he needed to come up with a different plan, one that involved taking the side road. He then smiled and turned toward his Pokemon. "We can do that, right Bagon?"

"_Bagon!_" Bagon cried joyously.


	14. Making Hay When the Sun Shines

After reviewing the notes he had taken from his previous battles, Sawyer knew what his strategy was. He planned to incorporate various tactics he had used in the past and take them a step further. The only question was, was that going to be enough to beat Ramos? He just had to wait and see.

Sawyer followed where Ramos had gone, and soon realized that the Coumarine Gym was at the top of a giant oak tree! In order to get to the Gym, he needed to climb up the vines that led to the battlefield at the very top, and so he did just that. After finally making his way up the seemingly endless series of vines and paths, Sawyer found himself standing in front of the Coumarine Gym battlefield. What appeared to be trees surrounding the arena were actually the tips of the branches of the oak tree in which he had climbed to get there. He soon found the Gym Leader standing near the greenhouse, as he faced Sawyer with a smile.

"I reckon yeh've arrived here with a strategy in mind to defeat my Gogoat, is that right?" Ramos asked.

"You bet!" Sawyer replied as he walked up toward the Gym Leader. "And with the help of that strategy, I'll win my fourth badge for sure!"

Ramos let out an enthused laugh. "Yeh've sure got spirit, young whippersnapper," he stated. "But we'll just see how well that strategy works out."

Sawyer and Ramos made their way toward their side of the arena, ready for the battle to commence. The referee, who wore a gardening cap and a green pair of suspenders, stepped beside the battlefield. "The Gym Battle between Ramos the Gym Leader, and Sawyer the challenger, will now begin," he announced. "Three Pokemon per side. The battle will be over when all three Pokemon on either side are unable to continue. Only the challenger will be allowed to substitute Pokemon."

"Three against three, huh?" Sawyer muttered to himself.

"Jumpluff, let's go!" Ramos shouted, throwing his Poke Ball into the air.

"_Jumpluff!_" cried the small, blue Pokemon as it emerged from its Poke Ball. It had small, red, beady eyes, and puffs of cotton, nearly the size of its own body, on the tips of its arms and antenna.

"Bagon! Come on out!" Sawyer shouted, sending out his small, Dragon-Type Pokemon.

"_Bagon! Bay!_" Sawyer's Pokemon shouted as it confidently faced its opponent.

"Battle, begin!" the referee declared.

"Alright, Bagon! Use Incinerate!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Gon!_" Bagon roared as it fired a scorching orb of flames toward Jumpluff.

"Jumpluff! Use Cotton Guard!" Ramos commanded.

"_Pluff!_" Jumpluff cried as its body began to glow brightly. It then surrounded itself in puffs of cotton, before beginning to glow blue as the cotton puffs disappeared. It took the Incinerate attack and managed to remain unharmed, much to Sawyer's shock.

"Now use Sunny Day!" Ramos shouted.

"_Juuuump!_" Jumpluff said, surrounding itself in golden energy field while raising both of its hands into the air. It then launched a series of golden, ring-shaped energies into the sky. The sky above it soon became significantly brighter and clearer

"Sunny Day, huh?" Sawyer muttered. "Alright! Use Incinerate!"

"_Bagon!_" Bagon shrieked, firing an even more powerful orb of fire before launching it at its opponent, only for it to be dodged in the blink of an eye.

"It's quick!" Sawyer exclaimed.

"Yeh see, Jumpluff's special ability is called Chlorophyll," Ramos stated. "When the sun above it is shining brightly, Jumpluff's speed is doubled."

"I see," Sawyer responded, writing this down in his notebook. "So, Chlorophyll increases Jumpluff's speed in sunny weather. Alright, then. How about this? Bagon, use Dragon Breath!"

"Jumpluff! Dodge it!" Ramos instructed.

"_Baaayy!_" Bagon hollered, firing a blast of blue energy only for its opponent to dodge once again.

"Keep using Dragon Breath, Bagon!" Sawyer shouted, as his Bagon continued launching one blast after another, while Jumpluff effortlessly floated around each of them. Both Pokemon kept this up until Dragon Breath cleared and Jumpluff found itself face to face with Bagon. "Now use Incinerate!"

"_Goooon!_" Bagon began forming another flaming orb in its mouth.

"Use Acrobatics!" Ramos commanded.

"_Juuuuum… Pluff! Pluff! Pluff!_" Jumpluff cried, floating into the air and surrounding itself in a blue aura. It then began zipping across the sky before striking Bagon with a mighty tackle.

"Bagon! Are you okay?" Sawyer asked, as Bagon quickly found its balance. "Alright! Use Dragon Breath again!"

"_Baaaayy!_" Sawyer's Pokemon roared, firing another flaming blast of energy toward Jumpluff.

"Keep dodging it, Jumpluff!" Ramos cried, as his Pokemon once again floated its way around each of the blasts of energy, just like it did before. Sawyer watched Jumpluff's movements as carefully as he could, and before long, Jumpluff was met face to face with Bagon again.

"Dragon Claw go!" Sawyer hollered, as Bagon sent Jumpluff flying backward with a slash from its extended, green claw.

"Now, Jumpluff! Use Acrobatics!" Ramos ordered.

"_Jumpluff!_" Jumpluff squealed, zipping its way toward Bagon and landing a direct hit.

"Bagon! No!" Sawyer cried.

"Now use Solar Beam!" Ramos commanded.

"_Juuuum…_" Jumpluff said, raising its arms into the air and starting to collect energy from the sun.

"Now's our chance!" Sawyer declared. "Use Incinerate!"

"_Bay…_" Bagon said, preparing to launch its attack. Before it could do so, however, it was met with a potent blast of white energy, which sent it flying back toward its trainer. Sawyer gasped, as he watched his Bagon fall unconscious once again.

"Bagon is unable to battle!" the judge stated. "Jumpluff wins!"

"Thanks, Bagon," Sawyer said, calling back his wounded Pokemon. "You battled really hard. Now take a good rest." He then looked over to Ramos with a confused look on his face. "Solar Beam normally takes a while for the move to charge up. How come Jumpluff was able to use it so quickly?"

"Yeh see, in sunny weather, not only are Fire-Type moves more effective, but a handful o' Grass-Type moves become more powerful as well. In Solar Beam's case, sunny weather allows the move to be charged up much faster."

"Wow," Sawyer said with glimmering eyes. "I had no idea Sunny Day could be used in that way. I'll make a note of it!"

"That was a mighty clever strategy yeh used, luring in Jumpluff the way yeh did," Ramos remarked. "But yeh'll need to do much more than simply sticking to one strategy if yeh wish to earn the Coumarine Gym Badge."

Sawyer took out his next Poke Ball from his pocket and prepared to throw it toward the battlefield. "Alright, Slurpuff. Let's go!" he shouted, sending out his chubby, pink Fairy-Type Pokemon. "Alright, Slurpuff! Use Flamethrower!"

"_Puuuuuuuff!_" Slurpuff growled, firing a gush of scorching flames toward Ramos' Pokemon.

"Jumpluff! Dodge it!" Ramos commanded.

"_Pluff!_" Jumpluff cried, bouncing upward and evading the blast of fire.

"Now use Acrobatics!" Ramos ordered, as his Jumpluff zipped its way toward Slurpuff and tackled it, nearly knocking it over.

"Electro Ball, now!" Sawyer called.

"_Sluuurr… Puff!_" Slurpuff cried, forming an orb of electrical energy in front of its mouth, and firing it at close range toward Jumpluff, which rendered the Pokemon out for the count.

"Jumpluff is unable to battle!" the judge proclaimed. "Slurpuff is the winner!"

"Alright!" Sawyer cheered as he raised his fist into the air. "Way to go, Slurpuff!"

"_Slurpuff!_" Slurpuff cried in complete joy, proud of its victory.

"Jumpluff, take a nice rest," Ramos said while calling back his tired Pokemon. "That Electro Ball was very well-timed, sprout. But let's just see how yeh handle my Weepinbell. Let's go!"

"_Bell…_" Weepinbell said in a deep voice upon being sent out of its Poke Ball. It had a bell-shaped, yellow body and long, sturdy leaves for arms, and its round mouth was half the size of the rest of its body.

"Okay, Slurpuff!" Flamethrower!" Sawyer ordered, as his Slurpuff fired another gush of flames toward its opponent.

"Weepinbell! Dodge it!" Ramos instructed.

"_Bell!_" Weepinbell cried, bouncing away from the flames in the blink of an eye, just as Jumpluff did.

"Hold on!" Sawyer exclaimed. "Does Weepinbell…?"

"That's right, my boy," Ramos replied. "Weepinbell had Chlorophyll too. Now, use Poison Powder!"

"Slurpuff, quick! Use Fairy Wind!" Sawyer called.

"_Puff!_" Slurpuff roared, firing a powerful, pink gust of wind in order to counter the sparkly, purple powder coming from Weepinbell's mouth. The spores rapidly disappeared, leaving Slurpuff unharmed.

"Now use Flamethrower!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Slurpuuuuuuuuuff!_" Slurpuff cried, launching another blast of fire and successfully landing a direct hit against the airborne Weepinbell.

"Most impressive," Ramos remarked. "Use Grass Knot!"

"_Weepin… Bell!_" Weepinbell hollered, summoning a pair of vines from underneath the battlefield, and moving them toward Slurpuff. They then tied onto Slurpuff's foot, causing it to trip and fall to the ground.

"Slurpuff, no!" Sawyer cried.

"Now use Slam!" Ramos shouted.

"_Weepin!_" Weepinbell grabbed onto a vine hanging in the arena and used it to swing toward its immobilized opponent. It then lifted the Pokemon up into the air and tossed it straight toward the ground.

"Slurpuff! Are you okay?" Sawyer asked, as his Slurpuff gave him a reassuring nod. "Alright! Use Flamethrower!"

"_Puff!_" Slurpuff roared, firing a gush of flames toward Weepinbell.

"Dodge it!" Ramos commanded, as his Weepinbell leaped high into the air. While Sawyer watched Weepinbell's airborne movements, he soon noticed the sun getting blocked by a cloud. He knew that meant Weepinbell's speed would be decreased. "Slam one more time!" Ramos shouted.

"Flamethrower!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Puuuuuuuuuuff!_" Now that Weepinbell was no longer affected by Chlorophyll, Slurpuff was able to land a successful Flamethrower attack, causing the Pokemon to fall to the ground. The Pokemon landed with a loud thud and did not move.

"Weepinbell is unable to battle!" the judge announced. "Slurpuff is the winner!"

"Yes!" Sawyer shouted in complete joy. "We did it, Slurpuff! Only one more to go!"

"_Puff!_" Slurpuff cried, sharing the same amount of thrill as Sawyer.

After returning Weepinbell to his Poke Ball, Ramos prepared to send out his third and final Pokemon. "Alright, Gogoat! Let's go!"

Ramos' tall, Grass-Type Pokemon emerged in a flash of blue light, feeling equally fired up as its trainer.

"Alright, Slurpuff! Use Flamethrower!" Sawyer shouted as Slurpuff let loose another gush of flames.

"Gogoat! Dodge and use Horn Leech!" Ramos shouted.

Upon Ramos' command, Gogoat evaded the attack, then launched a pair of green beams from its horn toward Slurpuff, defeating it in an instant.

"Slurpuff! No!" Sawyer cried, as a sparkling energy ball flew out of the unconscious Slurpuff, and into Gogoat's body, restoring its health.

"Slurpuff is unable to battle! Gogoat is the winner!" the judge said.

"Slurpuff, take a good rest," Sawyer said, calling back his Pokemon before reaching in toward his pocket and pulling out his third and final Poke Ball. _One Pokemon left…_ he thought. _We'll have to see how well our strategy works out for us. _He then held his Poke Ball up toward the field. "Grovyle, let's go!"

"_Gro!_" his Pokemon cried, giving an assertive grin upon emerging from its Poke Ball. The battle was now one on one, and the outcome of the match was still up in the air…


	15. A Fair Crack of the Whip

"Gogoat! Razor Leaf!" Ramos commanded.

"Grovyle, Detect!" Sawyer ordered.

As Gogoat fired a cluster of leaves toward its opponent, Grovyle's eyes began to glow blue. It then moved to the side, effortlessly evading the attack.

"Now use Agility!" Sawyer shouted.

"_Gro…Vyyyyle!_" Grovyle shrieked, as it raced across the battlefield at lightning speed.

"Use Vine Whip!" Ramos instructed.

"Use Detect, again!" Sawyer called.

Ramos' Pokemon shot out a pair of thin, green vines from the bush around its neck, aiming them straight toward Grovyle. Before it could land a hit, however, Grovyle's eyes once again glowed blue, allowing it to move aside from Gogoat's incoming vines.

"Now keep using Agility, Grovyle!" Sawyer instructed.

"_Gro! Gro! Gro!_" Grovyle roared, running at an even higher speed around its opponent.

"What is that boy up to…?" Ramos muttered. "Now Gogoat, use Razor Leaf!"

"Detect, let's go!" Sawyer commanded.

Gogoat once again launched a powerful cluster of leaves toward its opponent, only for its opponent to dodge the attack with ease yet again.

"Agility, one more time!" Sawyer shouted, as his Grovyle picked up the speed once again. Soon, Grovyle began moving faster than Sawyer's own eyes could follow. "Now use Leaf Blade on Gogoat's legs!"

"_Gro…_" Grovyle said, zipping its way toward its opponent's back leg. The leaves on its arm then began to glow and merge, before it struck Gogoat with a direct hit, causing it to fall to the ground.

"Very nicely done, whippersnapper," Ramos remarked. "Gogoat! Use Razor Leaf!"

Ramos' Pokemon once again fired a series of razor-sharp leaves, but this time, it used those leaves to surround Grovyle is a tornado.

"Now use Horn Leech!" Ramos ordered.

"Detect, let's go!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Gro…_" Grovyle once again made its eyes glow blue, though it only lasted for a split second, much to its shock. "_Vyle?_" It then got struck by the beams of green energy coming from Gogoat's horns, knocking it to the ground.

"No Grovyle!" Sawyer hollered.

"Use Razor Leaf!" Ramos instructed.

Just as Grovyle was about to lift itself off the ground, it was hit by a blast of razor-sharp leaves, causing it to fall down once again. It lay still on the ground with its eyes closed.

"Grovyle!" Sawyer cried.

"_Gro… Vyle…_" Grovyle moaned, gathering all the energy it had as it desperately tried to get itself off the ground.

"Grovyle! You've got to get up!" Sawyer pleaded. "You can do it!"

Grovyle did not move.

"Grovyle is unable to battle-" the judge declared, right before he saw Grovyle begin to stand up once again. Slowly but surely, the Grass-Type Pokemon managed to get up onto its feet. Once it was on its feet, it became surrounded in a light green, fire-like aura!

"Grovyle!" Sawyer cried, widening his eyes.

"Is that what I think it is?" Ramos asked.

"W-What is it?" Sawyer stammered. "What's going on?"

"That, my boy, is called Overgrow," Ramos stated. "Yeh see, when Grovyle's strength is nearly gone, it's Grass-Type moves become much more powerful!"

"Wow, Overgrow…" Sawyer mumbled, before giving his Pokemon an assured smile. "Alright, Grovyle! You ready?"

"_Grovyle!_" Grovyle nodded with a grin.

"Now Gogoat! Use Horn Leech!" Ramos called.

"Dodge!" Sawyer ordered. "Then, Leaf Blade!"

"_Vyle!_" With its heightened speed, Grovyle successfully dodged its opponent's beams of energy, then zipped its way toward Gogoat. It then swung its arm against Gogoat's front leg with glowing leaves that were double the size of normal.

"Gogoat! No!" Ramos shouted.

"Bullet Seed go!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Gro… Gro! Gro! Gro!_" Grovyle shrieked, firing a cluster of glowing seeds toward Gogoat, which were also double the size of normal. After landing a direct hit, the attack rendered Gogoat out for the count.

"Gogoat is unable to battle!" the judge proclaimed. "Grovyle wins! Which means the winner of this match is the challenger Sawyer!"

"Alright, Grovyle! We won!" Sawyer shouted gleefully as Grovyle managed to give its trainer a weak, but satisfied smile. Soon afterward, however, Grovyle began to feel woozy, partly due to its exhilaration. Sawyer quickly noticed as Grovyle began to sway back and forth and rushed forward in time to catch it before it fell into a swoon. "Are you okay, Grovyle?" Sawyer asked, as his Grovyle woke up and smiled at its trainer. "That's a relief…"

"Well done, young whippersnapper," Ramos said as he walked up toward his challenger with a gift case in his hands. "Yeh and yer Grovyle battled quite well. This Plant Badge is proof that yeh've won at the Coumarine Gym." In the gift case was a green Gym Badge that had the appearance a leaf, with the yellow veins resembling a tree.

"Thanks very much, Ramos!" Sawyer cheered, taking the Plant Badge from the gift case and gazing at it in awe. He now had half of the Gym Badges he needed to compete in the Kalos League. He could feel his heart racing just thinking about the fact that he was now halfway there.

"So, young boy, have yeh decided which Gym yeh'll challenge next?" Ramos asked.

"I'm thinking I'll head to the Lumiose Gym next," Sawyer replied. "See, I challenged the Lumiose Gym back when I was just starting out on my journey, so I'd like to challenge it again to see just how far we've come. We can do it this time, right Grovyle?"

"_Grovyle!_" Grovyle cried joyously, still with its arm around Sawyer, but steady enough to raise its fist into the air.

"I admire yer spirit," Ramos remarked. "Now, I would like yeh to remember that while yeh and yer Grovyle do believe in one another strongly, forming a powerful friendship with yer Pokemon always takes time. If yeh get too far ahead of yerself, yeh and yer Pokemon may find yourselves in a tough situation."

"Hmm…" Sawyer muttered, pulling out his notebook as his Grovyle let go of him. "I've never thought about that before… Thanks very much for the tip." Although he was not completely sure what kind of situation Ramos may have been referring to, he knew he still had a long way to go before he and his Pokemon could battle at Ash's level. He knew that the most they could do right now was to keep on training and see what came up in the future. Regardless of what did come up, however, he felt sure that he and his Grovyle would be able to get through it together.


	16. All Fired Up

As Sawyer was making his way through the Lumiose Badlands, he was thankful that he followed Viola's advice and did not take this route while heading for Coumarine City. This route was vast, dry and almost completely empty, with sandstorms kicking in now and then. Though he did have water with him, that did not make up for the fact that there were very few trainers and wild Pokemon on that route. It felt like the walk through the Laverre Nature Trail all over again, only with no wild Poison-Type Pokemon.

Sawyer did, however, encounter one trainer on that route who he promptly challenged to a battle. She had black hair and wore a purple scarf and brown, leather jacket. Her Pokemon was a Chikorita, a small, pale green Pokemon with a long leaf extending from its head, and a necklace of green buds. It was her and Chikorita versus Sawyer and his Slakoth.

"Alright, Chikorita! Use Body Slam!" the girl commanded.

"Slakoth! Dodge and use Slash!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Chikaaaa!_" Chikorita cried, jumping upward before falling straight toward Sawyer's Pokemon. Slakoth however, quickly intercepted with a mighty slash, sending Chikorita flying back toward its trainer.

"Chikorita! Are you alright?" the girl asked, as her Pokemon nodded its head. "Alright, use Razor Leaf!"

"Chika!" the girl's Pokemon shouted, swinging the leaf on its head and firing multiple sharp leaves toward Slakoth. The Normal-Type simply laid still where it was, scratching its head while enduring the attack.

Sawyer was able to recognize when Slakoth's Truant ability kicked in. Whenever Slakoth scratched its head, that meant that it was unable to move for about ten or so seconds. After battling with Slakoth enough times against other trainers, he had gotten better at knowing what to do at what time. Even so, Sawyer had not yet found a way to use Truant to his advantage in battle. For now, all he could do was wait for Slakoth to be able to move again.

Once Slakoth was done scratching its head, it slowly rose to its feet. "Alright, Slakoth! You ready? Use-"

"_Slaaaaaaak._" Before Sawyer could give a command, his Pokemon became enveloped in a rainbow-colored aura.

"I wonder what's going on?" the girl asked, looking just as confused as Sawyer. "Alright, Chikorita! Use Tackle!"

"_Chika!_" Chikorita hollered, charging up toward Sawyer's Pokemon and headbutting it in the stomach. As Slakoth took the attack, it held its fist next to its head, with a fired-up expression on its face. It then threw a ferocious punch and sent Chikorita flying dozens of feet backward, with double the power of its Tackle.

"Chikorita!" the girl cried.

Sawyer stared blankly at his Slakoth. He had never seen it with so much energy before, let alone the energy to defeat an opponent that rapidly. His blank expression slowly transformed into a wide smile. "That's awesome, Slakoth!" he cheered. "You learned Counter!"

"_Slaaaak…_" Slakoth yawned, back to its normal, sluggish self.

"Thanks, Chikorita. You battled really well," the girl said, holding up her awake, but tired Pokemon in her arms.

"_Chikori…_" the girl's Pokemon mumbled.

"Thanks very much for the battle," the girl said to Sawyer.

"Thank you," Sawyer responded. "Both Slakoth and I gained lots of experience. I hope we'll get to battle again sometime."

"Me too," the girl stated.

"_Chika, Chika,_" Chikorita nodded, waving to Sawyer and Slakoth as its trainer walked away.

"Wow, Slakoth! That Counter attack worked really well!" Sawyer stated. As his Slakoth responded with a lazy smile, Sawyer then realized something, thinking back to how Slakoth managed to quickly defeat its opponent after spending so much time laying inactively on the ground. _Maybe that's what Slakoth's battling style is._ Sawyer thought to himself. _Taking an opponent's attack, and then firing back with its own. If that's the case, then using Counter should be a great strategy for it. I'll make a note of that right away!_

Just as Sawyer took out his notebook, Slakoth began to glow within a blinding aura of blue light. That light looked awfully familiar to him. It was undoubtedly the light that meant that Slakoth was about to evolve! Sawyer gazed in astonishment, as Slakoth slowly transfigured and grew in size. Eventually, the blue aura disintegrated, and Slakoth was gone. In its place instead was a white, bipedal Pokemon with wide eyes and an overall much more energetic appearance. "_Vigoroooooooth!_" the Pokemon roared, tirelessly swinging its arms, as Sawyer's eyes glistened in awe.

"Slakoth's a Vigoroth now!" Sawyer cried. "Amazing!" As Sawyer watched his newly evolved Pokemon jump and down eagerly, seeming like a completely different Pokemon from who it was before, something clicked into his mind. _Hold on,_ he thought. _Truant isn't Vigoroth's ability anymore. I don't think that the Counter strategy is going to work as well for Vigoroth. I guess we'll need to figure out a different strategy we can use until it evolves again into Slaking... You know what? That's okay. I'm sure the experience will be helpful for both of us. _He then gave Vigoroth a composed smile. "Alright, Vigoroth. Are you ready for our next Gym Battle?"

"_Vigoooooo!_" Vigoroth roared, leaping high into the air with much enthusiasm.

After nine long days of hiking across the vast badlands, Sawyer finally arrived at his destination: Lumiose City. Even if the large city was cramped and hard to get around in, it still felt much better than being in the sleepy and dry badlands. Not to mention the fact he now had access to a Pokemon Center. As soon as he made it to Lumiose City, the first thing he did was head toward the Pokemon Center.

Once Nurse Joy, the Pokemon Center nurse, was finished treating Sawyer's Pokemon, she held up a tray for him containing all four of his Poke Balls. "I'm happy to report that your Pokemon have fully recovered and are feeling just fine," she stated.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," Sawyer said, as he took three of the Poke Balls and put them back in his pocket. He held the fourth Poke Ball up in front of himself and opened it up. A blue light then emerged from it and made its way beside Sawyer.

"_Grovyle!_" his Pokemon cried, emerging from the blue light.

"What do you say, Grovyle?" Sawyer asked, holding up his fist. "Are you ready to challenge the Lumiose Gym?"

"_Gro,_" Grovyle replied with a nod.

"Huh? The Lumiose Gym?" Nurse Joy repeated.

"Is something wrong…?" Sawyer muttered nervously.

"I'm afraid the Lumiose Gym is closed right now," Nurse Joy stated. "You see, Meyer, the runner of an electronic shop here in Lumiose City, needed Clembot to assist him with a broken machine."

"Huh?" Sawyer exclaimed in complete shock. First, he spent several days traveling through a quiet and unpleasant route, only to find out that the Gym at his destination was closed. This was starting to become just like what happened in Laverre City, only he knew that there was likely no way Ash would be in the same place this time. Sawyer let out a sigh of exasperation. "And we came all this way, too…"

"_Gro, Grovyle,_" Grovyle said, comfortingly patting its trainer's shoulder.

Sawyer looked toward Grovyle and gave it a weak, but grateful smile. "Thanks, Grovyle…" he mumbled, as he took out his Kalos region map from his backpack. "Let's see. Since we can't challenge the Lumiose Gym, where should we go instead? I don't think we should re-challenge the Laverre Gym just yet. We could go to the Snowbelle Gym…"

"Are you sure?" Nurse Joy asked. "I hear that the Gym Leader of the Snowbelle Gym is supposed to be the strongest Gym Leader in Kalos. I hear he has a secret weapon that has thrown nearly all his challengers off guard."

"He's that strong?" Sawyer asked. Seeing that he was only halfway toward completing his badge collection, he knew that he was not ready to face a Gym Leader as tough as what Nurse Joy described. He let out another sigh and looked down at the floor. "What should we do now…?"

"This is Malva, reporting live," said a young woman on the screen next to where Sawyer was standing. She had braided pink hair, orange eyes, and sported a black tank-top. Not knowing what else to do at that moment, Sawyer turned his attention toward the screen and continued listening. Still in a glum state of mind, Sawyer briefly noticed Malva's resemblance to Bernice, but promptly shrugged it off. "We are now back with a Kalos News update. Today's story is about a young boy by the name of Ash Ketchum."

Hearing Ash's name immediately made Sawyer's heart race. Having forgotten completely about his previous state of glumness, he bolted his way closer to the television, and fixed his eyes on the screen, eager to find out more about the story.

"Three days ago, this young boy and his friends climbed up Mt. Molteau, to catch a glimpse of the Legendary Pokemon, Moltres," Malva reported. "According to Ash's friend Trevor, Moltres' slumber had been disturbed by a group of Pokemon thieves called Team Rocket, who tried to capture this Legendary Pokemon by force. While trying to protect Ash and his friends from this enraged Legendary Pokemon's attacks, Ash's Talonflame was knocked out and almost fell into the volcano's lava. Ash then made a risky jump into the volcano in order to rescue his dearest friend. Luckily, the two of them were both rescued when Ash's other Pokemon, Frogadier, used its Frubbles to carry them both back up to solid ground." Hearing Frogadier's name immediately grabbed Grovyle's attention as well. "As risky as this young man's actions may have been, his love for his Talonflame is unquestionably strong. Now onto our next story on Infinite-Space Backpacks."

"Wow! Ash met a Legendary Pokemon?" Sawyer said to himself aloud. "That's so amazing!" He felt a bit overwhelmed after taking in so much information regarding his idol. Everything from his Fletchinder evolving, to him surviving a fall toward the bottom of a volcano left him speechless. It made him wonder what he may have currently been up to. "I hope we run into him again soon," he said to his Grovyle.

"_Grovyle!_" his Pokemon responded with an agreeing nod.

"Let's see…" Sawyer muttered, checking his map. "Mt. Molteau is between Dendemille Town and Anistar City… That means that Ash hasn't arrived in Anistar City yet! I might still be able to catch up to him! Grovyle, what do you say we head to the Anistar Gym next?"

"_Vyle!_" Grovyle cried, feeling an equal amount of exhilaration as its trainer. At this point, it hardly mattered to either of them that they could not challenge the Lumiose Gym. If changing their destination to Anistar City meant that Sawyer and Grovyle would be able to battle against Ash and Frogadier again, they were all for the idea. It felt like the perfect time as well, since they were now half way toward completing their collection of Gym Badges.


	17. The Sword in the Cave

And so began Sawyer's journey to Anistar City. He knew that it was quite far compared to the other Gyms, although he also knew that going there would increase his chances of running into Ash. Besides, Anistar City did not seem too far away from Lumiose, and surely enough, it was not. What Sawyer did not know however was that after traveling through Melancolie Path and passing Dendemille Town, he would then have to travel across Mamoswine Road. What was Mamoswine Road you ask? It was a snowy mountain route that trainers could only travel across by riding a rental Mamoswine. Getting the hang of riding that enormous Ground and Ice-Type Pokemon was one thing but having to ride it up a mountain and over a suspension bridge was another. Not to mention the cold was nothing like he had experienced before back in Hoenn. As hard and terrifying as that might have been, however, Sawyer was led by the knowledge that Ash was likely on the other side of that route. As long as he kept on going, he would be able to both challenge the Anistar Gym and potentially reunite with Ash.

After fifteen total days of making his way across Melancolie Path and Mamoswine Road, Sawyer finally arrived in Anistar City. Before he challenged the Gym, however, he first wanted to see if he could catch another Pokemon on the route to Snowbelle City: Vallee Etroite Way. While Sawyer may have still struggled with timing, especially when it came to catching Pokemon, he knew that he had come a long way since the last time he caught a Pokemon. He also knew that by trying his hand at it again, he would be able to see just how far he had come.

For the most part, the route seemed a bit quiet. Sawyer did not know where to start looking for wild Pokemon that he could potentially catch. That was until he found a sign next to a cave that read as follows:

_Terminus Cave. An abandoned coal mine, as well as an attraction for many trainers. It is filled with wild Pokemon that cannot be found anywhere else in the Kalos region._

Reading this immediately grabbed Sawyer's attention. He decided that going there would be worth a try, and sure enough, it was exactly what he had been looking for. As soon as he entered the cave, there were wild Pokemon everywhere he looked. Most of them were Pokemon he had never seen in person before, such as Sandslash, Ariados, Shuckle, Lairon, Durant, and Noibat. The walls and ceiling of the cave all glittered in bright blue light. All of this fascinated Sawyer to the point where he felt as though he could stay there all day.

After about ten seconds of looking around, one of the Pokemon instantly caught Sawyer's undivided attention. Its entire body resembled a sword, and it had a long, blue piece of cloth hanging from the tip of its hilt. Its sword-like body was covered in what seemed to be a brown sheath. This Pokemon was a Honedge, a Steel and Ghost-Type Pokemon who, unlike the rest of the Pokemon in the cave who were doing their own thing, was looking directly at Sawyer. With its cloth, which it used as an arm, it motioned for him to bring it on.

"I get it," Sawyer stated with confidence. "You want to battle, don't you?"

"_Hone,_" Honedge responded with a nod.

"Alright!" Sawyer shouted, pulling out a Poke Ball from his pocket. "Bagon, let's go!"

"_Bagon!_" the Dragon-Type Pokemon shouted as it emerged in a brilliant flash of light.

"Now, Bagon! Use Incinerate!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Gon!_" Bagon growled, firing a searing orb of flames toward its opponent, who swiftly evaded Bagon's attack with ease. Honedge then surrounded itself in a rotating circle of illusionary swords, before its body began to glow red. Sawyer recognized the move as Swords Dance.

"So, it raised its attack power, huh?" Sawyer muttered. "Alright! Use Dragon Breath!"

"_Baaayy!_" Bagon roared, launching a blue, fiery blast, successfully hitting its target and creating a mighty explosion in the process. Within the explosion, however, Honedge responded with an attack of its own. Traveling through the ground was what appeared to be a pitch-black shadow shaped like Honedge. The sharper end of the shadow then seemingly came to life and struck Bagon with a powerful slash!

"Bagon, no!" Sawyer shouted, identifying that attack as Shadow Sneak.

Honedge then unsheathed itself before charging straight toward Sawyer's Pokemon. It struck its opponent repeatedly with its sword, as Bagon struggled to endure the series of slashes. Sawyer could tell that it was using Fury Cutter, seeing that the attack was getting progressively stronger.

"Incinerate, now!" Sawyer hollered briskly, hoping to get his Bagon away from Honegde's continuous attacks.

"_Bagon!_" Bagon shouted, firing one last sphere of fire which sent Honedge flying backward.

"Now's my chance," Sawyer declared, pulling out an empty Poke Ball from his pocket. "Go Poke Ball!" he hurled the red and white capsule toward the exhausted Pokemon, causing it to disappear in a flash of red light. Once Honedge was inside, the Poke Ball jiggled a few times before it released a yellow sparkle, which signified its capture. "Yes!" Sawyer cheered, sensing the adrenaline racing through him. "Way to go Bagon! We caught Honedge!"

"_Bagon!_" Sawyer's Pokemon cried triumphantly, as it began to glow in a dazzling aura of blue light.

"Huh? Could it be…?" Sawyer responded, realizing that his Bagon was about to evolve! Sawyer gazed in awe as his Pokemon slowly grew larger, and turned into a spherical, quadruped Pokemon. Once the blue light disappeared, Shelgon, a grey Pokemon covered in a white, bony shell, took Bagon's place. "That's awesome! You've evol- huh…? Aah!"

Unfortunately for Sawyer, Bagon's evolution into Shelgon also meant that it grew heavier. Just when he thought he had become strong enough to withstand Bagon's Headbutt attack, he now had to deal with something that, while less painful, was harder to overcome: getting body slammed by a two-hundred-fifty-pound Pokemon.

"_Sheeeeell!_" Shelgon cried, as it leaped high into the air and landed on top of Sawyer, causing him to immediately fall backward. "_Shel, Shel!_" his Pokemon cried gleefully, smiling and blushing at its trainer while he struggled to lift himself off the ground.

Though it was harder to lift himself back up now that Bagon had evolved into a Shelgon, Sawyer still managed to maintain a smile on his face. "Awesome job, Shelgon…" he muttered, still a bit shocked after being knocked over. "Thank you…"

The next day, after camping out near Terminus Cave, Sawyer saw what appeared to be a battle going on nearby. Both participants hovered above the ground along with their Flying-Type Pokemon. The two wore a special suit that, when spread out, looked like a kite, giving them the ability to fly. Intrigued, Sawyer made his way around the cave to take a closer look at what was going on. He soon found what seemed to be a Pokemon Gym, though it had no ceiling. Instead, there was a grey wall bordering the open space where the airborne trainers were having their battle.

"Emolga, use Spark!" the man in the blue flying suit commanded.

"_Emo!_" cried his small, black and white Pokemon. It had yellow electric sacs on its cheeks, as well as a cap-like membrane that is used for gliding. It charged in straight toward its opponent's Pokemon, while surrounding itself in a cloak of electric sparks.

"Alright, Swoobat!" shouted the lavender-haired, young woman in the purple flying suit. "Time for the Back-Attack Whack!"

"_Swoooooo!_" her furry, blue Pokemon growled. This Pokemon had giant, black wings, and upon its face was a heart-shaped snout. It soared directly toward Emolga, before ascending into the sky and descending its way behind its opponent.

The male trainer gasped in shock. "Not the Back-Attack Wack!"

"Heart Stamp let's go!" the woman ordered.

"_Bat!_" Swoobat shouted, firing a pink heart from its snout, and sending Emolga flying toward the grey wall. The Electric and Flying-Type quickly regained its balance and faced its opponent.

"Alright! Let's try this!" the man said. "Use Acrobatics!"

"_Emolga!_" his Pokemon squealed, surrounding itself in a veil of blue energy, before swiftly winging its way toward its opponent.

"Grab it with your tail!" the woman commanded.

"_Swoobat!_" her Pokemon shouted, waiting for the right moment before grabbing its opponent's tail with its own.

"Uh oh!" the man cried. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Yup!" the woman replied. "Now for the Zippy Flip Whip!"

"_Swoooo… Bat! Bat! Bat! Bat! Bat!_" Swoobat hollered, swinging its opponent in a fast and dizzying circle, before releasing and sending it soaring into the wall.

"Emolga!" the man yelped.

"Emolga is unable to battle!" the judge declared, who was also wearing a blue flying suit. "Swoobat wins! Which means the winner is Soraya, the Gym Leader!"

"Gym Leader…?" Sawyer muttered, completely astounded after witnessing what he just saw.

"Yes!" Soraya shouted gleefully. "You were incredible, Swoobat!"

"_Swoobat!_" Swoobat cried joyously.

"Thanks for training with us," Soraya said to the other trainer.

"No problem," the man replied, returning his Emolga back into its Poke Ball.

As Soraya slowly made her way back down to solid ground, outside the Gym, Sawyer walked up to her. "Excuse me?" he said. "My name's Sawyer, and I'm on a Gym Battle journey. I'd like to challenge you to a battle!"

Soraya's eyes began to glimmer. "A Gym Battle?" she asked. "Yes! Yes! I haven't had a challenger come by in so long! I guess that's what you get for placing your Gym right in the middle of a route… But that's what makes it so exciting when challengers do come! So, how many badges do you have so far?"

"Right now, I have four," Sawyer replied.

"Four, huh?" Soraya said with much enthusiasm. "That's quite a lot! I can't wait for our Gym Battle to get started!"

"So, what are the rules of this Gym?" Sawyer asked. After taking one glance at the Gym, he could immediately tell that it was not your typical Pokemon Gym. Would he have to learn to fly the way Soraya and her training partner did during their battle?

"I'm glad you asked!" Soraya responded. "You see, in my Gym, the challenger and I face off in what's called a Sky Battle!"

"A Sky Battle?" Sawyer repeated. "I've never heard of it."

"It's a super popular type of battle here in Kalos!" Soraya stated. "It's where two Pokemon face off against each other, much like in a regular battle, but instead of battling on ground, they battle in mid-air! I just love these kinds of battles since they allow for much more mobility on the battlefield, because there _is _no battlefield! Traditionally, trainers who participate in Sky Battles will need to learn how to fly using a Wing Suit, which takes quite a bit of training. But I'm not mean like that! What I do is I let my challengers fly in a hot air balloon while they battle! Pretty cool, huh? It'll be a one on one battle between my Swoobat, and the Pokemon you choose to battle me with. Do you happen to have a flying or levitating Pokemon on your team right now?"

Sawyer nodded in reply. "I've got a Honedge that I recently caught at Terminus Cave."

"A Honedge?" Soraya asked. "That's gonna be a challenge for me and Swoobat. I can't wait!"


	18. Victory Through Aerial Power

"The Gym Battle between Soraya the Gym Leader, and Sawyer the challenger, will now begin! Each trainer will use one Pokemon, and the battle will be over when either side's Pokemon is unable to battle," the judge declared, as Soraya hovered above the Gym using her Wing Suit, while Sawyer stood in a lime green hot air balloon.

"Let's do this, Swoobat," Soraya said, holding up her Poke Ball. "Let's go!"

Soraya's Poke Ball popped open, and out came her blue, Psychic and Flying-Type Pokemon. "_Swooooobat!_" it cried.

"Honedge! Let's go!" Sawyer shouted, sending out his Steel and Ghost-Type Pokemon.

"_Honedge!_" Sawyer's Pokemon said in a deep, metallic voice.

"Battle, begin!" the judge proclaimed.

"Alright, Honedge! Use Swords Dance!" Sawyer instructed.

Honedge floated upward, and surrounded itself in a circle of blue, illusionary swords, enhancing its attack power.

"Oooh! Swords Dance right off the bat!" Soraya cheered. "Clever! Okay then, let's see how you like our Loop-dee-loop Swoop!"

"_Swoobat!_" Soraya's Pokemon roared, circling around Honedge faster than Sawyer's eyes could keep up. Though Sawyer did tense up a little and was slightly distracted and confused upon hearing "Loop-dee-loop Swoop", it was not enough to drive his focus away from the battle.

"Now use U-Turn!" Soraya called, as her Swoobat descended, then made a U-turn and struck Honedge with a direct hit.

"Use Shadow Sneak!" Sawyer commanded.

"Dodge and use Aerial Ace!" Soraya ordered.

Upon Sawyer's command, Honedge unsheathed itself, summoned a shadow-like energy field and sent it toward Swoobat. The Psychic and Flying-Type dodged the attack just in time and landed a swift and potent tackle on its opponent, sending it flying into the wall.

"_Honedge!_" Sawyer cried in concern.

"So, tell me! What do you think of Swoobat's Aerial Ace?" Soraya asked. "I like to call it the Pike-like Strike!"

"Honedge, are you okay?" Sawyer asked his Pokemon, as it slowly found its balance. "Alright! Use Fury Cutter!"

"_Honedge!_" Sawyer's Pokemon shouted, zooming straight toward Swoobat and striking it with a mighty slash.

"Quick! Grab its hilt!" Soraya ordered.

Just when it seemed Honedge had the upper hand, Swoobat used its tail to grab Honedge's hilt, trapping it and leaving it completely immobilized.

"Oh no!" Sawyer exclaimed. "Don't tell me that's…"

"'Fraid it is," Soraya replied. "The Zippy Flip Whip!"

"_Swoo… Bat! Bat! Bat!_" Swoobat roared, swinging Honedge around in a circle, just as it did with Emolga, before hurling it toward the wall.

"Honedge? Can you still go on?" Sawyer asked as Honedge replied with a weak, but confident nod. "We can't let Swoobat use the Zippy Flip Whip again!" _Never thought I'd say a sentence like that…_ he thought to himself. "So, use Fury Cutter and stay in the position you're in!"

"Okay, Swoobat! Heart Stamp!" Soraya instructed.

"_Swoobaaaat!_" Swoobat cried, soaring straight toward Honedge as Honedge charged toward Swoobat. It seemed like the two of them were neck and neck.

"Now fly up!" Soraya ordered, as her Swoobat suddenly ascended, much to Sawyer's shock. "Now for what we like to call the Back-Attack Wack!"

"_Swoo…_" Swoobat whispered, sneaking up behind Honedge before firing a pink heart from its snout. "_Bat!_" Swoobat landed a direct hit and sent Honedge flying once more.

"Honedge!" Sawyer cried. _No matter what attack we use, Swoobat can counter it using its own attacks,_ He thought. _We'll need to slow it down if we want to land another attack of our own._

"Time for another Pike-like Strike!" Soraya declared. "Use Aerial Ace!"

"Honedge! Use Iron Defense!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Hone!_" Honedge replied, as its sword transformed into a shiny, metallic color.

"Now grab its hilt!" Soraya called.

_Here it comes!_ Sawyer thought. "Use Iron Defense one more time!"

Honedge's sword once again transformed into a metallic color, as its opponent successfully grabbed its hilt.

"Now let's use the Zippy Flip Whip!" Soraya shouted, as Swoobat once again spun its opponent around in a dizzying circle and launched it toward the wall. This time, however, Honedge was able to find its balance in a split second after hitting the wall.

Sawyer noticed as Swoobat's breathing started to become heavier. He could tell that it used up a lot of energy with those two consecutive Zippy-Flip Whips. Now was his chance to counter-attack. "Use Shadow Sneak, now!" he ordered.

"_Honedge…_" Honedge whispered, summoning another shadow-like energy field and sending it toward its opponent. Unable to dodge in time, Swoobat was promptly struck by the sharper end of the shadow.

"Swoobat!" Soraya cried.

"Fury Cutter let's go!" Sawyer commanded, as his Honedge came charging in toward Swoobat.

"Heart Stamp!" Soraya shouted as both Pokemon flew toward one another at great speed. "Alright! Fly up!"

"_Swoobat!_" Swoobat cried as it prepared for another Back-Attack Wack. Despite Swoobat's sheer enthusiasm, it was unable to ascend in time and got hit with a powerful slash.

"Swoobat! No!" Soraya hollered.

"Use Fury Cutter again!" Sawyer instructed, as his Steel and Ghost-Type Pokemon unleashed another vigorous slash, which sent Swoobat flying straight toward the wall. The intense impact ended up costing Swoobat the match, as it remained where it was, out for the count.

"Swoobat is unable to battle!" the judge proclaimed. "Honedge wins! Which means the match goes to the challenger Sawyer!"

"Alright, Honedge!" Sawyer cheered. "Way to go!"

"_Hone,_" Honedge responded with a simple, satisfied nod.

Soraya slowly glided down toward her tired Pokemon and called it back into its Poke Ball. "Swoobat, you were wonderful," she said. "Thank you so much." She then flew her way toward Sawyer, as his hot air balloon slowly came down. "Wow, the way you used Iron Defense to tire out Swoobat was really well done! I haven't seen a challenger use a tactic like that in a while!"

"Thanks," Sawyer responded. "To tell the truth, this was actually my first battle with Honedge. Seeing how fast and well-trained your Swoobat was, I had no idea if we'd be able to beat it on our first try. That battle was a great experience for us both, wasn't it Honedge?"

"_Honedge…_" Honedge whispered, giving another self-composed nod.

"Well, I can definitely say that you've earned yourself that Vallee Etroite Gym Badge," Soraya said, as the judge handed Sawyer a gift case. The case contained a badge that resembled a pair of white wings, with a blue orb sitting at the top. "This Acro Badge is all yours. I came up with the name myself!"

Sawyer took the badge from the gift case, as a wide smile began to spread across his face. Only one more Gym Badge to go, and he would finally be at Ash's level. "Thanks very much, Soraya!" he said.

"So where do you think you'll go for your next Gym Battle?" Soraya asked.

"I'm thinking of heading for the Anistar Gym," Sawyer replied, as he looked down toward his Honedge. "We'll win our next Gym Badge for sure!"

"_Hone,_" Honedge responded once again with a calm and collected nod.

"You sure seem to be motivated," Soraya remarked. "Now just remember that when you are reaching toward a goal that you have set for yourself, enjoying the process is key to making the end result feel worthwhile. It will also make the goal much easier to reach in the long run. But I don't think you need to worry about that. Give it your all, and you'll earn that Psychic Badge for sure!"

"Thanks!" Sawyer responded. "Alright, Honedge! Ready for our next Gym Battle?"

"_Hone, Honedge…_" Honedge whispered, making a fist with its cloth. Though it seemed slightly more enthused this time, it still maintained its calm and collected exterior.

Several hours later, as Sawyer was making his way back to Anistar City, he came across a group of six Pokemon huddled up together in the nearby forest. These avian, wingless Pokemon had brown feathers and three heads, all showing completely different emotions. Sawyer quickly identified these Pokemon as Dodrio.

"_Doooooooo…!_" the Pokemon cried simultaneously, as they each summoned a sphere of blue, yellow and orange energy, one from each beak. "_Drio!_" The blue, yellow and orange orbs then fired beams of ice, electricity, and fire respectively, which they all aimed into the sky. They then collided, creating an enormous explosion high above the trees.

Upon witnessed that astounding display of power, Sawyer instantly decided to try his hand at capturing one of those Pokemon. He pulled out a Poke Ball from his pocket and hurled it forward. "Alright, Grovyle! Let's go!" he shouted.

"_Grovyle!_" his Pokemon cried, as it emerged in a sparkle of light, immediately bringing attention to the Dodrio.

"Now, Grovyle! Use Leaf Storm!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Gro!_" Grovyle roared, leaping into the air as a cluster of leaves began swirling around its body. It then sent the leaves flying toward the group of wild Pokemon, who all evaded the attack and began to flee.

"They're getting away!" Sawyer cried. "Quick! Use Agility to catch up to them!"

"_Vyle!_" Grovyle shouted, before zipping its way toward the Dodrio at great speed, jumping from branch to branch. Everything seemed like it was going well. Grovyle did not appear to have any trouble keeping up with the Dodrio. There was just one problem: Sawyer had absolutely no way of keeping up with _them_.

As soon as Grovyle began making its way toward the wild Pokemon, Sawyer was left all alone, as he realized his mistake. "Okay, maybe this wasn't the best idea…" he admitted, as he began chasing after both the Dodrio and his own Pokemon. "Grovyle, please wait! Grovyyyyyllle!" he pleaded, as he ran as quickly as he could, regretting his mistake more and more the further away he got from his Grovyle.

You are probably wondering where Sawyer and Grovyle will end up finding themselves once the chase is over. Well, you can that find out for yourself in episode 1 of _Pokemon the Series: XYZ, From A to Z!_ If you wish to move on to the next chapter, that is totally fine. Be a Lazy Larry. I don't mind.


	19. A Riddle Wrapped in Enigmas

After watching the episode, assuming that you actually did, you are likely wondering how the existence of Team Flare, the team of people in the red suits, will come into play later on in the story. We will get to that later. For now, here is a summary of what Sawyer knew up to this point:

Once Sawyer caught up to Grovyle, the Dodrio had escaped, though they ended up finding Ash and his friends! After their reunion, Bonnie told the group that her Squishy was gone. Who is Squishy you ask? Well, that was what Sawyer wanted to find out. Both he and his friends had no idea what kind of Pokemon Squishy was. All they knew was that it was a tiny, green Pokemon with a single, oval-shaped eye and a red hexagon on its stomach.

They soon found Squishy being restrained by a group of thieves in red-clothes, who claimed that Squishy was theirs. By working together, they quickly rescued Squishy and managed to escape. After making it to a safe place in the forest, Sawyer observed how Squishy refused to eat the berries that the other Pokemon offered it, and instead got its energy from the sun. Intrigued, Sawyer decided to draw a picture of Squishy in his notebook, and then ask the Anistar Gym Leader if they knew anything about it.

During the night, Squishy ran off into the forest and confronted the team of thieves, as Sawyer and the others followed it. While Clemont, Bonnie and Serena retreated with Squishy, Sawyer and Ash chased away the thieves. The two then saw a mysterious green light that seemed to be coming from Squishy and decided to follow it. After reuniting with Clemont and the others, they saw that Squishy was unharmed. As the sun rose, Sawyer asked if he and Grovyle were of help to Ash. Both Ash and Pikachu confidently told them that they did make a difference, which touched Sawyer greatly.

That morning, Sawyer began making his way back to Anistar City, still lost in thought after his encounter with Ash. He felt quite jealous after seeing that Ash had earned his seventh badge, but it was at that moment he realized that he needed to work extra hard to catch up to him. His mind was completely set on doing just that as he was walking along the forest area. Sawyer was, however, careful this time not to step on any wild Pokemon, especially those who could potentially lull him to sleep, or worse, paralyze or poison him. After ten minutes or so, Sawyer realized he forgot to challenge Ash to a battle or show him any of his new Pokemon! Oh well... At least he got to show him his badge collection.

After two days of traveling through Vallee Etroite Way, Sawyer arrived in Anistar City. He made his way toward the Anistar Gym, which had a domed roof and multiple gold rings surrounding it. Upon entering the Gym, he saw a turquoise, transparent battlefield underneath a giant ceiling that resembled a night sky, and a group of massive golden rings circling around the battlefield. If that was not mind-boggling enough, he also saw what appeared to be a cloud with an image inside it, an image of a swirling, green fire. It seemed as though the image was being created by a young, purple-haired woman standing behind it. She sported a black coat and a spread out, silver cloak that had a star pattern on the inside.

"So that's it…" muttered a young woman with pigtailed, red hair, who was standing beside the cloaked woman.

"I still have not yet learned any more about what is yet to come," the cloaked woman stated. "What the future will hold in the face in this threat is still a mystery. But one thing's for sure. In the very near future, we will soon have more information."

"Lady Olympia," said another young woman who had pigtailed, blue hair. "It appears we have a challenger."

"Hm? I see," the cloaked woman responded, looking over toward Sawyer. "Welcome to the Anistar Gym. I am Olympia, the Anistar Gym Leader,"

"My name's Sawyer," he said. "So, tell me, what was that threat that you were referring to?"

"You see, Lady Olympia had the power to see into the future," the blue-haired woman stated. "Olympia and her ancestors have protected Kalos from countless disasters for many generations. However, one of Olympia's more recent visions seems to be of a threat even greater than any of the ones that the people of Kalos have faced over the last several generations."

"What I saw… was an enormous green fire threatening to consume all of Kalos, and all the people and Pokemon within it," Olympia declared. "Many young trainers and Pokemon will play a vital role in attempting to put an end to this disaster."

"A green fire…?" Sawyer mumbled apprehensively. "Do you know what the cause of the green fire will be?"

"My vision tells me that the source of this green fire… will be from a mysterious, green Pokemon," Olympia stated.

"Green Pokemon… That's right!" Sawyer said. He briskly pulled out his notebook before flipping to the page where he had drawn Squishy. "The other day I met a Pokemon that isn't listed in the PokeDex. I drew a picture of it so that I could ask around and see if anyone knew who it was. Take a look."

Sawyer held the picture up to Olympia, who thoroughly examined it. "Aaaaah!" she yelled seconds later, widening her eyes.

"Lady Olympia!" the red-headed woman cried.

"I see it!" Olympia exclaimed. "The opposing force that will come after this Pokemon, and make it turn against the citizens of Kalos! That will be what will transform into the roots of this threat! And the opposing force… I believe I sense its very presence near the Anistar Sundial!"

"The Sundial?" Sawyer repeated. He remembered having seen the Sundial when Serena showed Ash a picture of it in her guide book a while back, and when he had visited Anistar City before. It was a towering, pink crystal located on the shore of the city.

"Carrie! Charlene! We must head for the Sundial at once!" Olympia insisted.

"Yes, Lady Olympia!" Charlene, the blue-haired woman responded. The three then raced their way out of the Gym, as Sawyer followed close behind. He wondered what could have been happening near the Anistar Sundial. Whatever it was, it likely had to be stopped as soon as possible.

Surrounding the Anistar Sundial was a group of three Team Flare members. They had a machine attached to the Sundial that was glowing progressively brighter with purple energy.

"All we need is a little more, and soon, we'll have gathered all the energy that the boss requested we gather," said one of the Team Flare grunts.

"Hold it right there!" Callie, the red-headed woman, demanded.

"What exactly do you intend to do with the Sundial's energy?" Olympia asked.

"Like that's any of your business!" one of the grunts replied.

"As Gym Leader of the Anistar Gym, it is my responsibility to make sure the Sundial is safe from harm!" Olympia declared.

"Is that so?" one of the grunts asked. "Try beating us in a battle, and we'll see how good of a Gym Leader you are! Go Skorupi!"

"Go Croagunk!"

"Go Manectric!"

Emerging from the grunts' Poke Balls was a purple, sharp-clawed Pokemon, a small, reptilian Pokemon with poisonous, black and orange fingers, and a taller blue, canine Pokemon with a pointy, yellow mane. They each gave the four trainers a menacing glare.

"It appears we have no choice," Olympia said. "Care to assist me, Sawyer?"

Sawyer nodded in reply. "Grovyle, let's go!" he shouted, hurling his Poke Ball forward.

"_Grovyle!_" Sawyer's Pokemon growled, facing its three opponents with an equally intimidating glare.

"Come on out, Meowstic!" Olympia hollered, using her telekinetic powers to levitate the Poke Balls forward and open them both.

"_Meowstic!_" cried her two Pokemon as they emerged in a flash of light. The one on the right, the male Meowstic, had blue, shaggy fur with white tips on its ears, limbs, and tail. The one on the left, the female, had white, curly fur with blue tips on its limbs.

"Use Helping Hand and Psyshock!" Olympia commanded.

"_Meeoow!_" the Meowstic sang, as the male surrounded itself in a golden aura, which it transferred to the female. The female then fired three dark purple beams toward Skorupi.

"Skorupi! Dodge it!" the grunt cried, as his Skorupi jumped upward, trying to dodge the attack, only for it to get struck with a direct hit and knocked out in the process. "Skorupi!"

"Incredible!" Sawyer remarked as he recalled what he had learned about Meowstic through his research back at home. _That's right,_ Sawyer thought to himself. _The male Meowstic's special ability is Prankster. That makes support moves like Helping Hand much more effective. Combining that with the female Meowstic's Keen Eye ability makes it so that those attacks almost never miss. Just what I'd expect from a Gym Leader. _In response to this realization, Sawyer lifted his hand, about to pull out his notebook. He managed to resist it however, knowing that he was in the middle of a battle he could not afford to lose.

"Manectric! Use Flamethrower!" the grunt ordered.

"Grovyle, dodge it!" Sawyer instructed.

"_Gro!_" Grovyle cried, leaping upward and successfully dodging the gush of flames.

"Use Mud-Slap!" the other grunt roared.

"_Cro… Guuuuunk!_" Croagunk hollered, firing a series of mud balls from its mouth toward the airborne Grovyle. With Grovyle being unable to move, the attack struck Grovyle in its face.

"Grovyle! Are you okay?" Sawyer asked, as his Grovyle struggled to remove the mud from its eyes.

"Alright! Use Dark Pulse on Manectric!" Olympia ordered. "And use Psyshock on Croagunk!"

"_Meow!_" Both Meowstic growled as the male fired a straight, dark purple beam, and the female launched an even darker beam of purple circles. Both attacks landed, leaving Croagunk knocked out, and leaving Manectric slightly stunned. After watching his Croagunk faint so quickly, the grunt let out a grunt.

"Use Thunder Wave on the two Meowstic!" the other grunt said.

"_Manec… Triiiiic!_" Manectric howled in a deep, menacing voice, as it launched three yellow rings of electricity from its mouth. The electricity struck both Meowstic, causing them to become paralyzed.

"Meowstic!" Olympia hollered.

"Now use Flamethrower on Grovyle!" the grunt commanded.

"Grovyle! Dodge!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Tric!_" Manectric roared, firing a singeing blast of flames toward Sawyer's Pokemon. Rather than running to the side, Grovyle instead ran forward due it not being able to see. It then became engulfed in flames, leaving it severely exhausted once the flames disintegrated.

"Oh no! Grovyle!" Sawyer cried in concern for his Pokemon.

"Use Helping Hand and Future Sight!" Olympia instructed.

"_Meeooow!_" the Meowstic sang, as the male managed to surround itself in a golden aura and transfer it to the female. The female, however, was not able to pull off an attack due to its paralysis.

"Grovyle, please! You've got to get up!" Sawyer pleaded. "We can't let those guys use the Sundial this way!"

"_Gro… Vyle…_" Grovyle murmured, struggling to lift itself off the ground.

"Please, Grovyle! I know you can do it!" Sawyer hollered.

"_Gro…_" Grovyle muttered as a bright blue aura began to surround it.

"Grovyle!" Sawyer cried, as his eyes glimmered in excitement. His Grovyle was evolving!

As Grovyle steadily grew in size, the leaf on its head vanished, and its tail turned into the shape of a palm tree. Three pairs of round seeds then sprouted from its back. The bright light disappeared and revealed a taller, tougher-looking Pokemon.

"It's… a Sceptile!" Sawyer squealed. He was hardly able to speak after witnessing his partner Pokemon evolve into its final evolutionary form.

"_Sceeeeeeep… Tile!_" Sceptile roared, letting loose a multi-colored, dragon-shaped energy beam, which Sawyer recognized as Dragon Pulse. The attack landed a direct hit on Manectric, which rendered it out for the count.

"Manectric, no!" cried the grunt, before he returned his wounded Pokemon back to its Poke Ball. "Looks like we'll have to retreat!" Both of the other grunts responded with a nod and briskly took off.

"You were amazing, Sceptile!" Sawyer shouted, gleefully running toward his newly-evolved Pokemon and giving it a hug. "Thank you so much!"

"_Sceptile!_" Sceptile cheered, equally as thrilled and relieved as its trainer.

Olympia smiled at the duo, before widening her eyes once more. "I see it!" she declared. "A legendary bond that I foresaw between a young challenger and his Pokemon the other day! I see you and your Sceptile overcoming that Pokemon's formidable strength!"

"A legendary bond?" Sawyer asked. Though he did not know what trainer and Pokemon Olympia may have been was referring to, the first trainer who came to his mind was Ash. He knew that he and Pikachu had a very strong bond and that they recently challenged the Anistar Gym. He also knew however him being the trainer who Olympia was describing seemed a little farfetched and unlikely.

"Though the Pokemon in question does not seem to be as powerful as I envisioned it," Olympia stated. "And it is unclear whether Sceptile will win the battle that I am foreseeing."

"Do you know what that means, Olympia?" Sawyer asked.

"It means that sometime in the near future, you and Sceptile will encounter this trainer, and battle him and his Pokemon in a close and formidable match," Olympia replied. "However, whether the two of you have truly reached the level of this team's strength and power will be up for you to decided."

"Up for me to decide, huh?" Sawyer muttered. Whether or not the trainer in question was, in fact, Ash, Sawyer could sense that something was coming that would make him have to consider how strong he really was.

"So, young man, I believe you wish to challenge my Gym?" Olympia asked as Sawyer responded with an enthused nod. "Very well. I accept your challenge."


	20. Working Like Meowstic

In preparation for his Gym Battle with Olympia, Sawyer thought back to how her Meowstic worked together in perfect sync while they battled against the Team Flare grunts. He knew he would need to figure out a way to stop them somehow. After a few minutes of thinking and reviewing his notes, Sawyer managed to figure out a strategy. He felt sure that his strategy would help him defeat those Meowstic and earn the Psychic Badge.

"Alright! The Gym Battle between Olympia, the Gym Leader, and Sawyer, the challenger, is about to commence!" Charlene declared. "This battle will be a double battle, and there will be no substitutions! Both sides will have the use of two Pokemon, and the battle will be over when both Pokemon on either trainer's side are unable to continue!"

"Meowstic! Come on out!" Olympia shouted, once again using her telekinetic powers to bring her Poke Balls toward the battlefield.

"_Meow!_" both of her Pokemon cried, ready to battle.

"Honedge, Vigoroth, let's go!" Sawyer cried as he threw his Poke Balls toward the arena. As they emerged in a flash of sparkling light, both of them faced their two opponents, ready to bring it on.

"Alright! Battle, begin!" Charlene proclaimed.

"Use Helping Hand and Future Sight!" Olympia instructed.

"_Meeeeooooooow!_" the two Meowstic sung in unison, as the male transferred the golden aura surrounding its body into the female. A few seconds later, the female extended its ears and created five wormholes, which it blasted a series of electrified energy beams into.

"Okay, Vigoroth! Use Thunderbolt on the male!" Sawyer called.

"Light Screen!" Olympia commanded.

"_Meow!_" the male Meowstic growled, summoning a pink, curved forcefield, shielding it from the incoming electrical blast.

"Now use Thunder Wave!" Olympia shouted.

"_Meow… Stic!_" the female Meowstic roared, firing several yellow rings toward Vigoroth, paralyzing it instantly.

"Vigoroth! No!" Sawyer cried. "Alright, Honedge! Use Shadow Sneak on the female!"

"Dodge it!" Olympia instructed.

"_Hone!_" Honedge hollered, swinging its sword-like body toward the female Meowstic, who successfully evaded the attack by floating up into the sky.

"Now use Psyshock!" Olympia said.

"Deflect it with Fury Cutter!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Honedge!_" Honedge shouted, throwing itself between Vigoroth and the Psyshock attack, and effortlessly cutting the beam in two.

"Now, Vigoroth! Use Encore on the female!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Vigorooooth!_" Vigoroth roared, raising its arms into the air and creating a sphere of white energy. It then launched the sphere toward the female Meowstic and struck it with a direct hit. The female Meowstic then began to sparkle white, as a panicked look passed over its face.

Olympia knew that when a Pokemon was hit with Encore, the only thing they could do was repeat their last move. This meant that she did not have access to three of the moves that her Meowstic could normally use. "It seems we have no choice," she said. "Alright! Double Psyshock!"

"_Meow!_" the two Meowstic growled, moving in unison as the two of them summoned a purple orb of energy in front of their paws.

"Now use Encore on the male!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Roooooth!_" Vigoroth howled, preparing to fire another white orb toward the male Meowstic. As it prepared to launch the attack, however, it was interrupted with the sudden appearance of multiple electrified energy beams, which struck both Vigoroth and Honedge.

"Oh no!" Sawyer cried. "That's Future Sight!"

"_Meowstiiiic!_" the two Meowstic then fired dark beams of purple energy toward their opponents, knocking them both to the ground.

"Honedge! Vigoroth! Are you okay?" Sawyer asked.

"Now use Helping Hand and Psyshock!"

"_Meeeooow!_" the male Meowstic sung, transferring golden energy toward the female Meowstic, allowing it to fire an even more powerful beam of purple energy.

"Honedge, quick! Use Fury Cutter again!" Sawyer called.

"_Hone!_" Honedge cried, successfully blocking Meowstic's Psyshock attack with its sword.

"Alright! Double Psyshock, once more!" Olympia commanded.

"Use Encore, Vigoroth!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Rooooooth!_" Vigoroth attempted to create another sphere above its head but lost the ability to do so when the paralysis kicked in.

"Vigoroth!" Sawyer cried. "Alright, Honedge! Use Fury Cutter!"

"_Hone!_" Honedge once again threw itself between Vigoroth and the beams of energy, deflecting them both with ease with a noticeably stronger slash.

"Helping Hand and Psyshock!" Olympia instructed.

"Use Fury Cutter on the male!" Sawyer called.

Before the male Meowstic could finish its Helping Hand attack, Honedge charged up toward Meowstic and struck it with a potent slash.

"Now, Vigoroth! Use Encore!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Vigorooooth!_" Vigoroth howled, successfully creating a white orb of energy above its head. It then tossed it toward the male Meowstic and caused it to glow in a sparkly white energy field, leaving it limited to only using Psyshock.

"Slash let's go!" Sawyer shouted, as his Vigoroth lifted its arm, but could not get the rest of its body to move due to the lingering paralysis.

"Now, double Psyshock!" Olympia ordered.

"Honedge! Deflect them with Fury Cutter!" Sawyer hollered.

"_Honedge!_" Honedge roared, leaping in to the protect Vigoroth once again.

"Now use Fury Cutter on the male!" Sawyer instructed.

Continuing to swing its sword in a circle, Honedge swiftly made its way toward the male Meowstic and struck it with a direct hit. The male Meowstic laid where it was on the ground and did not move.

"The male Meowstic is unable to battle!" Charlene announced.

"Meowstic, return," Olympia said, telekinetically aiming her Poke Ball toward her worn-out Pokemon. "You battled very well. Use Thunder Wave on Honedge!"

"_Meow!_" Meowstic growled, now free from the clutches of Encore, as it launched multiple yellow rings at Honedge. The attack struck, and Honedge was rendered paralyzed, much to Sawyer's shock.

"Now use Dark Pulse!" Olympia shouted, as her Meowstic fired a darker beam of purple energy circles. After getting struck by the super effective attack, Honedge plummeted to the ground and landed with a loud thud.

"Honedge, no!" Sawyer cried.

"Honedge is unable to battle!" Charlene stated.

Sawyer pointed his Poke Ball toward his unconscious Pokemon and safely called it back. "Thanks, Honedge," he said as he looked down at his Poke Ball. "You deserve a good rest."

"Now use Psyshock!" Olympia commanded.

"Dodge it, quick!" Sawyer called.

"_Roth!_" Vigoroth shouted, jumping up into the air and evading its opponent's attack.

"Use Slash, now!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Vigo… Roth!_" Despite being paralyzed, Vigoroth successfully made its way toward Meowstic and struck it with a mighty slash, which sent it flying backward.

"Let's finish this up with Thunderbolt!" Sawyer hollered.

"_Vigoroooooooth!_" Vigoroth roared, surrounding itself in a veil of electric sparks, and firing a beam of electricity toward its opponent. The attack resulted in a tremendous explosion. As the explosion started to clear, Olympia saw her Meowstic laying on the transparent ground, out for the count.

"Meowstic is unable to battle!" Charlene declared. "Vigoroth is the winner! Which means the victory goes to Sawyer the challenger!"

"Alright, Vigoroth!" Sawyer cheered. "We won! We really did it!"

"_Vigorooooooth!_" Vigoroth roared in exhilaration, rapidly swinging its arms.

"Both of you battled very courageously. Take a nice, long rest." Olympia stated, using telekinesis to return her Meowstic back into its Poke Ball. "Young man, you and your Pokemon battled very well. I can sense that a bright future awaits you all as you continue working toward your goal of competing in the Kalos League. I am now pleased to present you with the Psychic Badge."

Olympia handed Sawyer a gift case containing a Gym Badge that resembled a crystal ball emitting yellow smoke. "Thank you so much, Olympia!" Sawyer said, as he took the Gym Badge from the gift case and gazed at it in awe. Only two more badges to go, and he would finally be able to compete in the Kalos League!

"Now, young man, as you continue on your journey, I would like you to remember that what you and your Pokemon can achieve holds no limits," Olympia said. "As long as you and your Pokemon stick together, you will have all the strength you need to create and follow your desired path. You must not let anything stand in your way. After all, it is your future you are working toward."

Sawyer responded with a nod, as he pulled out his notebook. "I'll be sure to make a note of it!" he stated.


	21. The Crabby Pokemon

After earning the Psychic Badge at the Anistar City Gym, Sawyer decided to make his way back to Laverre City to re-challenge Valerie. As he was traveling through Mamoswine Road once again, he thought back to what Olympia had told him back at the Gym. Based on how it sounded, every vision that Olympia had seemed to accurately represent what the future held. If that was the case, then that would mean Kalos would be facing a huge threat in the near future, and that Squishy, and presumably Ash and his friends as well, would be involved in it. Just the thought of that gave him the chills. He wanted to believe none of that was actually real, but then again, it seemed unlikely that Olympia's vision was merely a false alarm.

The Kalos threat was not the only thing that was on Sawyer's mind. He also contemplated on what Olympia said about the legendary bond she foresaw in her recent challenger. The more Sawyer thought about it, the more convinced he became that the challenger in question was Ash. While Sawyer was still not sure what the legendary bond may have been about, his first thought was that it may have had to do with a legend that his father had told him when he was a little: When trainer and Pokemon form a deep connection, they begin to look alike and share one another's visions. This was referred to as "turning into one another". He could see that potentially being the case with Ash and Pikachu, that was if the two did not look so drastically different. He also remembered being told by Olympia that he would defeat that trainer in a battle, but that it would be up for him to decide if he truly won. All this baffled Sawyer greatly. Just what was the legendary bond about, and what was going to cause him to second guess if he truly won the battle? One thing was for sure: he was not going to figure it out by spending so much time thinking it over. He knew that it was coming, but that was all he knew. At this point, it was only a matter of seeing what would end up happening once the time came.

After a week of traveling between Anistar and Dendemille, Sawyer began making his way through Brun Way, the route between Dendemille and Laverre. About halfway through the route, he discovered a trainer and her Roserade standing on a stone bridge, looking at each other with concerned looks on their faces.

"I kind of wish we hadn't challenged that Clawitzer to a battle," the woman in the green coat remarked. "It looked like it took that loss pretty hard, didn't it Roserade?"

"_Rose…_" the Grass and Poison-Type muttered, gazing downward at the flowing river below the bridge.

"Excuse me," Sawyer said, walking up toward the woman and her Roserade. "Is the Clawitzer you're talking about a wild Pokemon?"

"That's right," the woman stated. "That Clawitzer is actually quite well known around here. Every time it sees a trainer pass by its habitat, it challenges that trainer to a battle. It's never lost a battle before. That is… until Roserade and I battled against it and won. Since then it's been refusing to let anyone talk to it. Roserade and I tried talking to it, but it just wouldn't listen to us."

"Do you know if Clawitzer's still around here?" Sawyer asked.

"I believe so," the woman replied. "Last I saw it, it was next to that waterfall over there. I would say it likely hasn't left that spot since it lost. Why do you ask?"

"I want to see if I can help Clawitzer out somehow," Sawyer stated.

Both the woman and her Roserade widened their eyes in shock. "Are you sure?" she asked. "That Clawitzer can be really aggressive."

"I know it can be hard to lose sometimes, but losing has helped me grow a lot stronger as a trainer throughout my journey," Sawyer stated. "If I can help Clawitzer do the same, maybe it will regain its confidence."

"Well, if that's how you feel," the woman responded hesitantly. "Just be careful, okay?"

"I will. Thanks," Sawyer said, before making his way toward the waterfall that the woman had pointed to. Once he made it to the waterfall, he examined the area but did not see Clawitzer anywhere. That was until Sawyer looked behind a rock several feet away from the waterfall. There, he discovered a blue, crustacean Pokemon with two dark blue claws, one that was over twice the size of the rest of its body. Sawyer immediately recognized who Pokemon that was. "Clawitzer!" he shouted.

"_Claw…_" Clawitzer muttered, turning its head toward Sawyer, then abruptly turning away. The Pokemon then hid behind its larger claw, presumably to cover its face.

Sawyer, realizing that Clawitzer was likely still upset after its loss, softened his voice. "I… I heard about what happened with that trainer and her Roserade."

"_Witzer…?_" Clawitzer responded with a quiet, but intimidating growl, giving Sawyer a menacing glare.

Sawyer flinched in response to this, before taking a deep breath. He then began to slowly approach the Pokemon. "I know that losing can be difficult, but it also helps Pokemon and trainers grow stronger."

Clawitzer continued glaring at Sawyer, before turning its head away once again.

"I'm a trainer and I've had my fair share of losses, but I've come a long way since then."

Clawitzer did not respond.

"Would you be okay with letting me…"

"_Clawitzer!_" Clawitzer roared, summoning an orb of multi-colored energy within its claw.

Sawyer briskly pulled out one of his Poke Balls. "Sceptile, use Leaf Blade and block that Dragon Pulse!" he ordered, throwing his Poke Ball forward.

"Sceptile!" Sawyer's Pokemon growled, merging the two leaves on its arm and slicing the energy beam in half.

"_Claaaaw!_" Clawitzer cried, shaking at the sight of Sceptile before hiding itself with its claw once again.

"Huh?" Sawyer responded, surprised to see Clawitzer acting timid after seeing it act so aggressively just a second ago. He tried figuring out what might have caused that sudden change. He knew that Sceptile was a Grass-Type, which had an advantage in battle against a Water-Type like Clawitzer. He knew that Roserade, the Pokemon that had just beaten it in a battle and caused it to feel discouraged in the first place, was a Grass-Type as well. That was when it occurred to him. "Of course," Sawyer said to himself. "After losing to that Roserade, Clawitzer probably feels less comfortable around Grass-Types." he then cautiously approached the trembling Clawitzer and knelt down at eye level toward it. "Is that true, Clawitzer?" he asked.

"_Claw…_" Clawitzer muttered, looking down at the stony ground.

"That makes sense to me," Sawyer replied. Seeing how Clawitzer reacted after seeing Sceptile reminded Sawyer of how he reacted during his battle with Viola when her Vivillon used Sleep Powder. Seeing that move brought him back to when he had been put to sleep, only to wake up and find himself being carried above a city and dropped. He could understand how Clawitzer must have felt. He took out his Poke Ball and turned toward his Sceptile. "Sceptile, return," Sawyer said, sending his Pokemon back inside the Poke Ball. _So, Roserade is the first opponent Clawitzer has lost to, and since then it hasn't had the confidence to battle against other opponents,_ he thought._ If I can figure out a way to help Clawitzer overcome that fear… That's it!_ Confident in his idea, Sawyer sprung to his feet. "Clawitzer, do you know any Ice-Type attacks?" he asked.

Clawitzer looked toward Sawyer and blushed. It then turned to a nearby rock and began to store up light blue energy in its claw. "_Witzer…_" it whispered, struggling to store up the energy before ultimately giving up.

"Hm…" Sawyer muttered, trying to figure out what he could do to help Clawitzer out. His eyes then glimmered, as an idea sprung to his mind. "Hey, if we can master that Ice Beam, maybe that will help boost your confidence," he said. "What do you say we work on that Ice Beam together?"

"_Claw?_" Clawitzer asked before its eyes began to glimmer as well. "_Witzer, Witzer!_" the Water-Type cheered, nodding its head.

"I may not have any Pokemon that know Ice Beam, but I do have a Pokemon that knows a move that's used in a similar way," Sawyer said, holding up the Poke Ball containing that Pokemon for Clawitzer to see. "Would it be okay if I send out Sceptile again?"

"_Claw!_" Clawitzer exclaimed, instantly freezing up. It then looked off into the distance, seeming unsure what to do.

"That's okay if you don't want to," Sawyer stated. "But if you are up for it, I think that training with Sceptile will help you overcome your fear of Grass-Types as well."

"_Claw…_" Clawitzer murmured, standing still for a moment as it thought. It then looked up toward Sawyer with a courageous look on its face. "_Witzer!_" it replied, nodding its head.

"Alright!" Sawyer cheered, throwing his Poke Ball up into the sky. "Sceptile, come on out!"

As Sawyer's Grass-Type Pokemon emerged in a flash of blue light, Clawitzer jumped a little, though it managed to remain calm enough not to hide.

"Alright, Sceptile. Do you think you can teach Clawitzer Ice Beam by showing it how you use Bullet Seed?" Sawyer asked.

"_Scep,_" Sceptile responded with a nod.

"That's great!" Sawyer shouted joyously. "Alright, Clawitzer. Watch closely. Sceptile, use Bullet Seed on that rock!"

"_Scep…_" Sceptile muttered, summoning an orb of green energy within its mouth "_Tiiiiiiiile!_" It then moved its head forward and fired a cluster of seeds toward the rock next to the waterfall.

"Just like that," Sawyer said. "Do you think you can try using Ice Beam in that way?"

"_Claw…_" Clawitzer whispered, beginning to collect light blue energy in its claw. The energy orb however quickly vanished, much to Clawitzer's dismay.

"_Sceptile, Sceptile,_" Sawyer's Pokemon said, giving Clawitzer a comforting smile. "_Scep, Sceptile, Tile._" It then pointed toward the rock it had fired Bullet Seed at, seeming as though it was telling it to watch what it was about to do. "_Tiiile!_" it shouted, launching another series of seeds toward the rock, as Clawitzer carefully observed.

Once the demonstration was over, Clawitzer then began creating another blue orb within its claw, only for it to disappear in a matter of seconds once again. "_Claw…_" Clawitzer mumbled, visibly discouraged.

"Don't give up, Clawitzer," Sawyer said. "I know getting there may be hard, but once you do get there, it'll be worth it. Trust me."

"_Sceptile, Scep._" Sceptile nodded its head with an assured smile, agreeing with its trainer one hundred percent.

"_Claw!_" Clawitzer nodded its head as well, ready to on keep trying.

And so, Clawitzer did just that. Time and time again, after multiple failed attempts, it kept on trying to master Ice Beam. Although the orbs did get progressively larger the more times Clawitzer practiced, Sawyer could tell that a part of it was still discouraged and wanted to give up. In spite of that, however, it still managed to maintain its determination to keep going. After a few minutes, it seemed Clawitzer was on the verge of mastering Ice Beam, though, by that point, it was starting to become a bit tired.

"Alright. Let's try it one more time," Sawyer said. "Ready?"

Both Pokemon nodded their heads and turned toward the rock, ready to fire their attacks.

"_Tiiiiiile!_" Sceptile growled, firing multiple yellow seeds at the rock as Clawitzer watched closely.

"_Claw,_" Clawitzer said confidently, as it lifted its claw and began to summon an orb of light blue, frigid energy. "Claw…" Clawitzer muttered, as the orb slowly but surely grew larger.

"_Claw…_" It could feel it. It was nearly ready to fire its attack.

"_Claw…_" Almost there…

"_Witzeeeeeeeeer!_" Clawitzer cried, launching a freezing beam of zigzagged energy toward the rock, leaving it completely frozen within a split second. "_Witzer…?_" Clawitzer mumbled, stunned upon seeing how much power it had released through that attack.

"Alright, Clawitzer!" Sawyer cheered. "That was a perfect Ice Beam!"

"_Claw! Claw! Witzer!_" Clawitzer roared in delight, raising its claw into the air.

"_Tile?_" Sceptile said, reaching its fist out toward Clawitzer, offering it a fist bump.

"_Claw?_" Clawitzer panicked, immediately freezing up. It stood still where it was for a moment, seeming as though it was thinking. It then looked back up toward Sceptile and gave it a fist bump with its larger claw.

"That's great you two are getting along now," Sawyer remarked. "So, Clawitzer. Do you feel ready to start battling again?"

Clawitzer looked over to Sawyer and remained silent. After having spent so much time training with Sawyer, and developing a connection with him, a part of it did not want to stay there at the river.

"If you'd like, you could come along with us," Sawyer suggested, as Clawitzer's eyes began to widen. "See, right now I'm on a Gym Battle journey, and there's this one trainer named Ash who I have been trying to catch up to for quite a while now. If the two of us worked together to become stronger, I'm sure we'll achieve our goals much faster."

"_Claw…_" Clawitzer murmured, looking off into the distance for a few seconds before turning toward Sawyer and smiling. "_Witzer,_" it said, nodding its head.

"Alright!" Sawyer cheered, taking a Poke Ball from his pocket. "Go, Poke Ball!" Sawyer tossed the Poke Ball toward Clawitzer, who vanished in a flash of red light once the button in the center hit its claw. The Poke Ball then fell to the ground and began to shake back and forth. A few seconds later, the capsule emitted a yellow sparkle, signifying that the Pokemon had been captured. "Yes! We got a Clawitzer!" he shouted, as his Sceptile cheered along with him. The two of them then looked down toward the Poke Ball, realizing that they now had a full team of six. They both began to wonder what lay in store for them and Clawitzer, as they continued their journey to Laverre City.


	22. The Maiden Who Talked to Pokemon

After spending the next three days traveling through Brun Way, Sawyer finally arrived at his destination: Laverre City. He distinctly remembered this otherworldly city with red mushrooms and autumn-colored leaves. They immediately brought him back to the three days he spent in this city, meeting and getting to know Ash. The whole thing had still felt like a dream to him, especially seeing that it took place in such a unique and unearthly town. Revisiting this distinctive city also brought back the sense of eagerness that he had felt during his encounter with Ash. Only this time, Sawyer felt much more confident in his battling skills. He knew he was going to beat Valerie this time for sure.

Upon entering the Gym, Sawyer instantly recognized the vibrant garden of bushes surrounding the battlefield, as well as the white, tiled wall next to where he had watched Ash battle. As he walked onto the left side of the battlefield, the tiled walls around him lit up, rolled upward and revealed massive screens showcasing a series of falling pink petals. Sawyer knew this fit very well with a Gym Leader like Valerie, who was a fashion designer. The Gym Leader was then elevated up to the arena, as she made her entrance on the other end of the battlefield. She had long, black hair, curled and extensive, lavender hairclips, and a pink dress with sleeves resembling fairy wings. Once Valerie made her entrance, the screens surrounding the two trainers changed to a scene of vibrant trees in an autumn forest. Sawyer distinctly remembered all this taking place right before Ash's battle. This time it was his turn to challenge Valerie, and his turn to earn the Fairy Badge.

Valerie took a bow and looked over toward Sawyer, who she quickly recognized from their previous encounter. "I welcome you to the Laverre Gym," she said. "I believe we met a while ago when I was hosting a fashion show here in the city, is that correct?"

"That's right. I was selected to battle against you on the runway," Sawyer replied before he started scratching his head. "Although, your Spritzee managed to defeat my Bagon pretty fast…"

"Yes, I remember," Valerie remarked. "Your name is Sawyer. I can tell by the confident look on your face that you have come a long way since our last battle. How many badges might you have now?"

"I have six badges now," Sawyer stated. "I've been training a whole lot since I saw you and Ash's Gym Battle. Seeing all the strategies that Ash pulled off in that battle was what inspired me to train as hard as I could to catch up to him. I know I'll win the Fairy Badge this time for sure!"

"I like your spirit," Valerie said, letting out a friendly chuckle. "But we'll just see how much your training will pay off in our battle."

A young woman wearing a black and red kimono stepped in front of the battlefield. "The Gym Battle between Valerie the Gym Leader, and Sawyer the challenger, will now begin," she proclaimed. "Both sides will have the use of two Pokemon, and the battle will be over when both Pokemon on either side are unable to continue. Only the challenger may substitute their Pokemon at any time."

"Honedge, come on out!" Sawyer shouted, hurling his Poke Ball toward the arena.

"_Honedge!_" the Pokemon roared in a deep, metallic voice.

"A Steel-Type huh? A wise choice," Valerie stated, as she held up her own Poke Ball. "Sylveon, appear!"

"_Syyyyl… Veon!_" The pink and white Pokemon cried, as it emerged from the capsule and landed gracefully upon the ground. This quadruped Pokemon had two pink ribbons attached to its body, one on its neck, and one on its left ear. Sprouting from those ribbons were long, white feelers with blue tips.

"Syl, Sylveon, Syl," Valerie said, kneeling down at eye level toward her Pokemon.

"_Sylveon, Syl!_" the Pokemon replied confidently.

"That's right. Valerie can talk with Pokemon," Sawyer muttered to himself, remembering when he saw this taking place right before Ash's Gym Battle. He recalled hearing about how she managed to learn how to speak with Pokemon due to her desire to be a Pokemon herself, though that was mainly something she could only do with her Pokemon. Sawyer knew that with that kind of strong connection with her Pokemon, Valerie would be a tough opponent to beat.

"Battle, begin!" the referee declared.

"Alright, Honedge! Use Slash!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Hone…" _Honedge whispered, unsheathing its sword._ "Eeeedge!_" It then swung its sword around in the air as it made its way toward its opponent and struck it with a potent Slash attack.

"Now use Iron Head!" Sawyer ordered.

"Sylveon! Disarming Voice!" Valerie instructed

As Honedge pointed the edge of its hardened sword toward its opponent and began charging toward it at great speed, the Fairy-Type Pokemon responded with a piercing shriek. From its mouth, it fired a beam of purple hearts toward Honedge, stopping it in its tracks.

"Honedge!" Sawyer cried in concern for his Pokemon. "Hang in there!"

"_Hone… Edge…_" Honedge muttered, struggling to find its balance. In a matter of seconds, however, it managed to launch itself toward its opponent and land a direct hit with Iron Head.

"Grab hold of it, Sylveon!" Valerie commanded.

"_Veon!_" Sylveon squealed, briskly rapping its ribbon-like feelers around the Steel and Ghost-Type Pokemon while it was still within close range. Sawyer, remembering this technique being used in Ash's battle, quickly recalled his plan for escaping this situation.

"Use Shadow Sneak!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Hone!_" Honedge roared, summoning a shadow-like energy field that traveled ominously across Sylveon's feelers. The shadow reached Sylveon, and struck it with a mighty slash attack, causing it to let go of Honedge.

"I'm quite impressed," Valerie remarked. "How did you come up with the strategy of using Shadow Sneak to escape Sylveon's ribbons?"

"I remember watching how Ash's Fletchinder managed to escape Sylveon's ribbons using Flame Charge," Sawyer replied. "That strategy was what inspired me to use Shadow Sneak in a similar way."

"I see," Valerie responded. "Well, you have certainly turned that into an effective technique. But I'm afraid it won't be enough! Sylveon, use Shadow Ball!"

"_Sylveee…_" Sylveon said, storing up a sphere of dark purple energy surrounded by black static in front of its mouth. "_On!_" It then launched the sphere toward Honedge, dealing major damage in the process.

Sawyer grunted in shock as he watched his Pokemon fall to the ground. _I had no idea Sylveon could use Shadow Ball,_ he thought. Though Honedge was still willing to continue battling, Sawyer knew that a Ghost-Type move such as Shadow Ball could be a big problem for a Ghost-Type Pokemon such as Honedge. _We'll need to be careful if it fires that attack again…_

"Use Shadow Ball, one more time!" Valerie called, as her Sylveon began charging up another attack.

Sawyer knew there had to be a way to stop Sylveon's Shadow Ball attack. He briefly thought back to his recent battle with Olympia and remembered that he had used Fury Cutter to her counter Meowstic's Psyshock attack. _That's it! _he thought to himself, giving his Pokemon an assured smile. "Okay, Honedge! Use Night Slash!"

"_Honedge!_" Sawyer's Pokemon shouted, as its body began to glow light purple. It then launched itself toward the incoming orb of energy and sliced it in half with ease.

"Now use Iron Head!" Sawyer ordered.

Upon Sawyer's command, Honedge zoomed toward its opponent with its hardened sword, and landed a potent strike, leaving Sylveon out for the count.

"Sylveon, no!" Valerie cried.

"Sylveon is unable to battle!" the referee stated. "Honedge is the winner!"

"Alright!" Sawyer cheered, as his Pokemon continued floating in the air, remaining calm and composed, though still satisfied. "Way to go, Honedge!"

"_Hone,_" Honedge responded with a simple, but pleased nod.

"Sylveon, return. You were just wonderful." Valerie said as she returned her exhausted Pokemon back to its Poke Ball. She then looked toward her challenger and smiled. "I'd like to congratulate you both on your victory. You've certainly become a lot stronger since the last time we battled."

"Thanks," Sawyer replied. "My Pokemon and I have been spending a lot of time working on many different battling tactics, and we've been getting a lot stronger because of it."

"I can see your strategies have certainly taken you a long way," Valerie stated. "But I'm afraid this is where it ends. Spritzee, appear!"

"_Sprrrritzee!_" Valerie's small, pink Pokemon chirped as it appeared in a flash of brilliant, blue light. This avian Pokemon had tiny, pink wings, wide, orange eyes, and dark and curly eyelashes. Sawyer remembered battling against this Pokemon during his first Gym Battle against Valerie and watching it battle against Ash. After observing Spritzee's battling style, Sawyer knew exactly what he needed to do.

"Honedge, you take a good rest," Sawyer said, as his Pokemon vanished in a flash of red light. "Alright, Clawitzer! Let's go!"

"_Clawitzer!_" Sawyer's newly obtained Pokemon cried, feeling ready to battle as soon as it emerged from its Poke Ball.


	23. She Doesn't Miss a Trick

"You're substituting Honedge? You're up to something I presume," Valerie said with a smile. "Alright, Spritzee! Use Trick Room!"

"_Spritzeeee!_" Spritzee squealed, as its body started to glow light blue. A series of transparent, blue and white tiles then surrounded the battlefield until it formed a massive room around Spritzee and Clawitzer.

"So, they're staring with Trick Room, huh? That's just what I thought," Sawyer stated confidently, remembering the move being used during Ash's battle with Valerie. He recalled that as long as Trick Room is in effect, the slower Pokemon in the battle became the faster Pokemon. He also remembered how Ash's Hawlucha managed to break through Trick Room using X-Scissor, though Sawyer was determined to go about his strategy in a different way. He knew exactly what he needed to do to work around the disadvantage he was faced with. "Alright, Clawitzer! Use Aqua Jet!"

"_Clawitzeeeeeeer!_" Clawitzer growled, enveloping itself in a veil of water, before shooting itself up toward the sky.

"Spritzee! Moonblast!" Valerie commanded.

"_Srrrriiiiit!_" Spritzee cried, gathering energy and forming it into a pink sphere, which it then fired toward its opponent. "_Zee!_"

"Dodge it, Clawitzer!" Sawyer called.

"_Witzer!_" Clawitzer hollered, rapidly maneuvering itself around the Moonblast, still within the veil of water it created with Aqua Jet. It then charged straight toward Spritzee and landed a direct hit.

"Stay strong, Spritzee!" Valerie shouted. "Use Dazzling Gleam!"

"_Zeeee!_" Spritzee squealed, releasing a blinding white light that sent Clawitzer flying back toward its trainer.

"Use Aqua Jet, again!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Claw!_" Clawitzer responded, surrounding itself in a cloak of water once again before shooting itself back up into the sky.

"Gyro Ball!" Valerie commanded.

"_Spriiiit!_" Spritzee cried, swiftly spinning toward its opponent as it charged in with its Aqua Jet attack. Both attacks collided and sent both Pokemon flying backward at an equal distance.

"I see what you're up to," Valerie remarked. "A priority attack such as Aqua Jet isn't affected by Trick Room, so you're using it to keep Trick Room from slowing down your Clawitzer. That's quite impressive. But we're not done yet! Use Moonblast!"

"Ice Beam go!" Sawyer ordered.

The two Pokemon simultaneously fired their long-ranged attacks. The orb of pink energy collided neck and neck with Clawitzer's beam of blue, frigid energy, creating a massive explosion between them.

"Now Spritzee, use Gyro Ball!" Valerie called.

Spritzee, taking full advantage of its increased speed, zipped its way toward Clawitzer while spinning rapidly in a circle. It struck its opponent with a mighty tackle, causing it to fall backward.

"Clawitzer!" Sawyer cried.

"Clawitzer is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Spritzee is the winner!"

Sawyer pointed his Poke Ball toward his tired Pokemon and sent it safely back inside. "You battled really well, Clawitzer. Thank you," he said, as he watched Spritzee float its way gently onto Valerie's hand.

"Spritzee, Sprit, Sprit," Valerie said to her Pokemon.

"_Sprit!_" Spritzee replied with a cheerful nod.

_I know that Trick Room isn't going to last for much longer,_ Sawyer thought. _Honedge's Iron Defense should be able to buy us enough time._ Sawyer held up his Poke Ball before throwing it toward the arena. "Okay, Honedge! Let's go!"

"_Hone!_" Honedge responded as it emerged in a flash of blue light, ready to continue battling.

"Honedge! Use Iron Head!" Sawyer commanded.

"Dodge it, then use Gyro Ball!" Valerie called.

Honedge once again charged straight toward its opponent, though it moved significantly slower due to the effects of Trick Room. This drop in speed allowed Valerie's Pokemon to effortlessly move closer toward Honedge, as it began spinning in a rapid circle.

"Iron Defense, now!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Honedge…_" Honedge whispered, as it unsheathed its sword and turned a shiny, metallic color. It endured Spritzee's Gyro Ball attack with ease.

"Use Dazzling Gleam!" Valerie commanded.

"Iron Defense, one more time!" Sawyer shouted.

"_Srrrrritzeeeeee!_" Spritzee cried, firing a gleaming bundle of light toward Honedge, who effortlessly endured the attack once again. A few seconds later, the white and blue tiles surrounding Spritzee and Honedge began to fade away.

"Oh no. Looks like our time has run out," Valerie muttered.

"Use Shadow Sneak!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Honedge!_" Honedge roared, creating a shadow-like figure in front of itself and sending it straight toward Spritzee. Before it had the chance to escape, the shadow struck the small Pokemon with a powerful slash.

"No! Spritzee!" Valerie cried.

"Now Iron Head!" Sawyer called, as his Pokemon launched itself toward the tired Spritzee, knocking it out with a potent strike.

"Spritzee is unable to battle!" the referee proclaimed. "Honedge wins! Which means the winner is the challenger Sawyer!"

"Alright! Honedge, we won!" Sawyer shouted joyously. "We beat Valerie!"

"Honedge!" Honedge replied, making a fist with its cloth. Though it still maintained a serious overall look, it seemed a bit more enthusiastic this time.

"Spritzee, return," Valerie said, calling her Pokemon back into its Poke Ball. "Thank you very much. Both you and Sylveon battled very well." Valerie then began walking up toward Sawyer and gave him a smile of satisfaction. "I could tell that you and your Pokemon truly were in sync during our battle. I think I'm beginning to understand just why Pokemon and trainer seem to truly be one with each other when they're in a tight spot during battle. It's the moment in battle when they most need to rely on one another and work together to escape the tough situation. That is when they naturally become in sync with each other. I noticed that in our battle today. You've certainly come a long way since we last met. To be honest, I was quite surprised."

"Thanks, Valerie!" Sawyer cheered.

The referee walked up toward Valerie and handed her a gift case containing the Laverre Gym Badge. This badge was a pink, half-oval that resembled a pair of fairy-like wings. "This Fairy Badge is proof that you have won at the Laverre Gym," Valerie stated, as she took the badge and gazed at it in awe as if she was the one who had earned it. "It truly is beautiful, don't you agree…?"

"Um…" Sawyer muttered, unsure how to respond.

"Oh! My apologies," Valerie said. "I was so taken by its beauty that I almost forgot to give it to you. Please, take it."

"Thanks very much!" Sawyer said, taking the Gym Badge and gazing at it with glistening eyes. Not only had he caught up to Ash, but he was also only one Gym Badge away from competing in the Kalos League!

"Do you know where you plan to go for your next Gym Battle?" Valerie asked.

"I was thinking of heading to the Snowbelle Gym next," Sawyer replied. "Now that I've come this far on my journey, I think this would be a great time for me to challenge the Gym Leader there and see just how much I have grown as a trainer!"

Valerie gave her challenger another smile. "Well then, I wish you the best of luck at the Snowbelle Gym."

"Thanks!" Sawyer cheered. "I'll do my best!"

With his eyes set on challenging the Gym in Snowbelle City, Sawyer began taking the route back to Anistar City, which took him through Brun Way and Mamoswine Road once again. After he made it back to Anistar, he then began traveling through Vallee Etroite Way, which led him to Couriway Town, the next town over from Snowbelle.

After ten total days of traveling through these routes and towns, Sawyer came across a group of four familiar-looking people. He took a closer look, and saw that it was Ash, Clemont, Bonnie and Serena!

"Hey, it's Ash!" Sawyer shouted. "Long time no see!"

"Huh?" Ash responded, spinning around and giving his old friend a welcoming smile. "Hey, it's Sawyer!"

"_Pika, Pika!_" Ash's Pikachu cheered.

"Good to see you again," Clemont said.

"Good to see you guys too," Sawyer responded, dashing up toward the foursome. "How have you guys been?"

"We've all been doing really well," Clemont replied.

"Squishy's doing well too!" Bonnie stated, lifting up her yellow bag where Squishy was sitting in its own pouch. "Say hi."

As Squishy greeted Sawyer with a smile, Sawyer suddenly recalled what Olympia had said prior to their Gym Battle: _I see it! The opposing force that will come after this Pokemon, and make it turn against the citizens of Kalos! That will be what will transform into the roots of this threat!_ Sawyer was unsure how he should describe what he had heard to Ash and his friends. Should he describe it at all? Would they be better off not knowing? For all he knew, the opposing force might have been looking for a different Pokemon of the same species. On the other hand, the team seemed to be quite set capturing Squishy and no one else. He knew it was likely for the best that they know about this information. It was only a matter of putting it into words to minimize their panic.

"Ash, I…" Sawyer mumbled, before getting cut off by Ash, who had not heard him.

"You know, it would be great if I could see just how much stronger your Pokemon have become since last time," Ash remarked. "So, what do you say you and I have a battle?"

"A battle?" Sawyer asked, having completely forgotten what was about to say. He had been waiting to have another battle with Ash since their departure in Laverre City and did not remember to do so last time they met. Now was his chance, at last, to show his role model just how strong he had gotten! "Okay! You're on!"

Because the majority of Ash's Pokemon were speedy, close-ranged attackers, Sawyer knew he would need to distance himself from them as much as possible during battle, ideally by using long-ranged moves. This was especially the case with Frogadier, who seemed to specialize in the strategy of using speed to get in close, then land a one-hit knockout on its opponent. After earning seven badges, Sawyer felt confident that he would be able to do well this time in his battle with Ash.

Once Sawyer and Ash had found a nearby battlefield, they both stepped onto opposite sides of the field, as Clemont stepped between them. "The battle between Ash and Sawyer will now get underway!" he declared. "This will be a three-round, one on one battle, and there will be no substitutions! Is that understood?"

Both trainers responded with a nod, as Sawyer held up his first Poke Ball. "Alright, Shelgon! You're up!"

Sawyer hurled his Poke Ball toward the battlefield, and out came his grey and white Dragon-Type Pokemon. "_Shel!_" the Pokemon cried.

"Wow! A Shelgon!" Bonnie cheered.

"So that means his Bagon evolved," Serena remarked.

"That's great that your Bagon evolved into Shelgon," Ash stated. "I hear that it takes quite a lot of training for most Dragon-Types to evolve. I can tell you've been getting a lot stronger."

Sawyer blushed and began scratching his head. It meant a lot to him to know that his idol recognized just how hard he and his Pokemon had trained. "Thanks a lot, Ash," he muttered, as Shelgon scrunched up its face and glared at him jealously.

"Alright! Hawlucha, I choose you!" Ash cried, throwing his Poke Ball forward.

"_Lucha!_" Ash's avian, bipedal Pokemon roared. The Pokemon had red, cape-like wings, and its mask-like, green face gave it a tough, yet somewhat elegant appearance.

"Alright! Battle, begin!" Clemont proclaimed.

"Now, Hawlucha! Use Karate Chop!" Ash commanded.

"_Haaaaaw!_" Hawlucha growled, charging in toward Shelgon while raising its arm into the air.

"Shelgon! Use Dragon Breath!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Sheeeel!_" Shelgon hollered, launching a fiery beam of blue energy toward Hawlucha. Much to Sawyer and Shelgon's shock, however, Ash's Pokemon managed to blow away the Dragon Breath with a single chop, before it kept going and struck Shelgon with a direct hit.

"Shelgon! No!" Sawyer cried.

"_Gon…_" Shelgon murmured, lifting itself off the ground.

"Alright! Use Incinerate!" Sawyer shouted.

"Dodge it and use Hi Jump Kick!" Ash ordered.

"_Lucha!_" Hawlucha responded, bouncing upward and successfully evading Shelgon's sphere of flames. It then began descending knee-first toward Shelgon.

"Intercept with Dragon Claw!" Sawyer called.

"_Shelgon!_" Shelgon growled as it blocked its opponent's attack by intercepting with a green, claw-shaped field of energy. The two battlers seemed to be neck and neck for a couple of seconds before Hawlucha managed to overpower Shelgon and sent it rolling back to its trainer.

"Shelgon! Are you okay?" Sawyer asked.

"_Shel…_" Shelgon stammered, slowly getting back onto its feet.

Some of you are likely wondering why Ash is physically present in this part of the story, seeing that his television series takes place at the same time as Sawyer's journey through Kalos. Well, this chapter actually leads up to the introduction of one of the television episodes. This means that the rest of this battle takes place on screen. Unfortunately for you Lazy Larrys, this also means that you will be missing out on yet another plot point. That is unless you are willing to just watch the first half of _Pokemon the Series: XYZ episode 13, A Meeting of Two Journeys!_ That's all you need to get the full experience this time anyway.


	24. Uncharted Waters

If you had, in fact, watched the first half of the episode like I had told you to, you are likely wondering who this Alain guy is who kept showing up on the screen. I promise we will get to that eventually. For now, here is a recap of what has happened to Sawyer so far.

It had not taken long for Hawlucha to defeat Shelgon with a Flying Press. Once Shelgon was out, Sawyer sent out Honedge, who was also quickly defeated by Pikachu's Thunderbolt. Though it frustrated Sawyer getting defeated that easily twice in a row, he was still determined to win with the help of his Sceptile. After Ash sent out his next Pokemon, his Greninja who evolved from Frogadier, Sawyer briefly managed to gain the upper hand by attacking from a distance. With Greninja being a close-ranged attacker, it struggled to fight back against Sceptile's Leaf Storm. That was until Greninja and Ash activated a mysterious power that Sawyer had never seen before. Greninja became enveloped in a veil of water and began to look a bit like Ash. It then managed to instantly defeat Sceptile with a single Aerial Ace. Intrigued by this power, Sawyer asked Ash how he did what he did, though he was not sure himself. Ash did, however, say that while the power was being activated, he could sense exactly what Greninja was sensing, and felt as if he was burning up, then felt completely exhausted. This sounded a lot like the legend that Sawyer's dad had told him about. He wondered if that legend could have really been true and if Ash and Greninja's power had something to do with it. One thing was for sure: even if this was not connected to the legend, Sawyer was sure that his dad would be thrilled to learn about what he saw with Ash and Greninja, given that he was a researcher who the studied reversible forms in Pokemon.

Ecstatic after learning about Ash and Greninja's power, Sawyer was eager to begin training with his Pokemon right away, so that they may beat Ash in a battle once and for all. That evening, he went to the same battlefield where he had battled against Ash and was about to send out his Sceptile and Honedge. As Sawyer held the Poke Balls in his hands, he realized that despite him having earned just as many Gym Badges as Ash, his rival still managed to defeat him effortlessly. This left Sawyer a bit discouraged, as it seemed that he had not gotten much stronger since the last time he battled against Ash. He started to question why that was and wondered if he was feeling overconfident. This could have very well been the case, seeing that almost every Gym Leader Sawyer had challenged at that point Ash had already beaten a long time before him. If that was the case, then he knew that training was just what he needed to get himself back on track. He hurled his Poke Balls up into the air and sent out his Sceptile and Honedge.

"Alright, Sceptile," Sawyer said. "What do you say about helping Honedge work on its Iron Defense?"

"_Scep,_" Sceptile replied with a nod.

"Here's what I'm thinking," Sawyer began. "While Honedge is using Iron Defense, you use Leaf Blade as many times as you can until either of you feel ready to stop. This will help you with your endurance as well."

Both Pokemon nodded confidently in reply.

"Alright! Use Iron Defense and Leaf Blade!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Scep! Tile! Scep!_" Sceptile roared, merging the leaves on its arms together and starting to strike Honedge's unsheathed, hardened sword. As Sceptile continued launching its attacks, Honedge managed to endure each Leaf Blade with ease. Both Pokemon kept this up for about fifteen seconds, as Sawyer kept a watchful eye on how both of them were doing. Once they were done, both Pokemon felt a bit tired but satisfied with their performance.

"Great work, you too," Sawyer commented. "I can see that you're already getting a lot better. If we keep this up, we'll beat Ash for sure!"

"_Sceptile!_" Sceptile cheered while raising its fist into the air, while Honedge floated beside it, maintaining its usual deadpan expression.

Sawyer pulled out a Super Potion from his pocket and sprayed it against Honedge's unsheathed sword, which healed its mild wound. You wouldn't think that a healing spray made for a cell-structured creature would have the power to repair a damaged sword. Luckily, when you're a Pokemon, even if that just means you are a ghost living inside a sword, anything is possible! Once the wound had disappeared, Sawyer pulled out Sceptile and Honedge's Poke Ball. "Okay, Honedge. Take a good rest. You too, Sceptile," he said, as he returned both Pokemon back into their Poke Balls. He then pulled out a second set of two Poke Balls from his pocket and threw them into the sky. "Alright, Shelgon and Slurpuff. Let's go!"

"_Shelgon!_" Shelgon cried joyously, visibly thrilled to see its trainer.

"_Puff!_" Slurpuff shouted, seeming just as joyous, but for a different reason. It had not yet gotten close enough to Shelgon in its fully evolved form to greet it the way it always greets people and Pokemon. "_Sluuuur-Puff!_" Slurpuff said as it slurped the side of Shelgon's bony shell that was closest to its face.

"_Gon!_" Shelgon gasped in shock, trying to take in what had just happened.

"Remember, Shelgon? Licking faces is Slurpuff's way of saying hello," Sawyer stated with a smile on his face.

"_Shel…_" Shelgon blushed innocently, completely reframing from its original shock after hearing its trainer's outlook.

"Okay, Slurpuff. We know from our battle with Hawlucha that Ash works really well with fast Pokemon," Sawyer remarked. "The best way to counter Ash's Pokemon's battling styles would be to know exactly where they are, even if we can't see them. I want you to see if you can sense where Shelgon is while the two of you are training. And Shelgon."

"_Puff?_" Slurpuff muttered, turning toward Shelgon, who was still gazing at its trainer with a lingering blush on its face. "_Slur, Slurpuff,_" it said, gently nudging the side of Shelgon's shell.

"_Gon!_" Shelgon replied, as its head snapped back to reality.

Sawyer, thinking that Shelgon was simply spacing out, moved on as if nothing happened. "I know that it's a bit harder for you to move around after evolving, but that doesn't mean you can't still make use of that strategy we have been using in our Gym Battles. I want to see if you can camouflage yourself with Dragon Breath, and then use Dragon Claw while Slurpuff can't see you. Remember, Slurpuff is a Fairy-Type, so you won't have to worry about your Dragon-Type moves hurting it."

"_Shel,_" Shelgon nodded in reply, as Sawyer backed away from the two Pokemon.

"Alright, ready to go?" Sawyer asked, as his Shelgon and Slurpuff faced each other with a prepared look on their faces. "Okay, Shelgon! Use Dragon Breath!"

"_Sheeel… Gon!_" Shelgon roared, firing a scorching blast of energy toward Slurpuff, who effortlessly took the attack as if it were nothing. The only problem Slurpuff faced was that it could not see, though that did not mean that its sense of smell could not tell it where Shelgon was hiding.

"Slurpuff! Can you sense where Shelgon is?" Sawyer asked.

"_Slurpuff!_" his Pokemon cheered, signifying that it had found its teammate in the Dragon Breath cloud.

"Great! Now, Shelgon! Use Dragon Claw!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Shel-Gon!_" Shelgon growled, forming a claw-shaped energy field and slashing Slurpuff with it. Upon being hit, Slurpuff flinched for a brief moment, as if it were watching a 3D movie that seemed so real, despite the fact that it could not actually be hurt by the attack.

"Awesome job, you two!" Sawyer remarked. "Both of you did really well!"

"_Slurpuff!_" Slurpuff cheered, jumping upward in delight.

"_Shel…_" Shelgon stuttered in laughter, flattered by Sawyer's words.

"Alright, Slurpuff. How do you feel about helping Vigoroth out with a little more training?" Sawyer asked.

"_Puff!_" Slurpuff replied, ready to do just that.

"Okay, Shelgon. Take a good rest," Sawyer said.

"_Shel?_" Shelgon widened its eyes in complete shock as the red light from its Poke Ball hit its shell. "_Gon…_" It then fixed its eyes on Slurpuff and gave it an envious glare as it vanished in a flash of red light.

"Vigoroth, let's go!" Sawyer shouted, sending out his furry, energy-filled Normal-Type Pokemon.

"Okay, Vigoroth. I was thinking that now that you have evolved, we could work a bit on your agility," Sawyer suggested. "This will help you against fast Pokemon like the ones that Ash uses."

"_Roth!_" Vigoroth replied eagerly.

"And Slurpuff," Sawyer said. "I was thinking that you could help Vigoroth out by aiming your Attract in its direction. I know that Vigoroth isn't affected by your Attract, so you don't have to worry. This will just be for practice."

"_Slurpuff!_" Sawyer's Pokemon nodded, ready to go.

"Alright, Slurpuff! Use Attract!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Slurpuff, Puff!_" Slurpuff said, winking its left eye and summoning a cluster of pink hearts, which wafted their way toward Vigoroth.

"_Vigo!_" Vigoroth hollered, leaping upward and effortlessly dodging Slurpuff's attack. It then continued evading each and every one of the Attracts by vigorously jumping up and moving side to side, paying close attention to the direction the hearts were heading.

"Both of you are doing great!" Sawyer remarked. "Keep it up!"

As Vigoroth continued moving up and down and side to side, its movements gradually became more and more drastic. Eventually, one of its jumps sent it high into the sky, which left it unable to move. This gave the hearts the chance to reach Vigoroth while it was immobilized. The hearts then rotated around Vigoroth, before entering its body.

"Alright! Way to go, Slurpuff!" Sawyer shouted, as his Fairy-Type Pokemon cheered along with him.

"_Roth…_" Vigoroth murmured, visibly discouraged after that last jump.

"Don't worry, Vigoroth," Sawyer said comfortingly to his Pokemon. "You did really well. Just be careful not to jump too high next time, okay? Other than that, your timing was really great."

"_Vigoroooth!_" Vigoroth shouted, perked up thanks to its trainer's reassuring words.

"Now take a nice rest," Sawyer said, as he returned both of his Pokemon back into its Poke Balls. After putting the Poke Balls back into his pocket, Sawyer pulled out his notebook and flipped to the pages in which he had taken notes on Ash's Pokemon's battling styles. _I feel like I've got a good understanding of how to counter Ash's other Pokemon,_ he thought to himself. _But how do we counter his Greninja? It defeated Sceptile in the blink of an eye, and its movements were so quick and unpredictable._ It was not just the strength of Ash's Greninja that Sawyer had seen that left him wondering how he was going to defeat it. For all he knew, there may have been an even greater power that lay within Ash and Greninja, as well as their bond. _There's no doubt about it. Ash and Greninja must be the team that Olympia was referring to back at the Sundial. I know it may be tough… but if the two of us become strong enough, I think Sceptile and I can beat them. No... I _know _we can beat them. You'll see, Ash._


	25. Good Things Come in Slothful Packages

After Sawyer realized that his overconfidence had led to him getting quickly defeated by Ash, despite the fact that they both had the same number of badges, he decided to focus his attention on training before he challenged the Snowbelle Gym. As he brainstormed various techniques for his Pokemon to practice, Sawyer thought back to his first three battles against Ash. While speed may have been the strong point of each of Ash's Pokemon, their individual battling styles were slightly different, meaning that Sawyer would have to approach each of them in a different way. Although he had figured out Greninja's battling style, he still needed to figure out the battling styles of his other Pokemon if he wished to beat them in battle. He decided to spend the next several days staying where he was, so he could focus on training with his Pokemon. Each day consisted of four training sessions spread out throughout the day, all of which were dedicated to countering the battling style of one of Ash's team members: Pikachu in the morning, Talonflame in the early afternoon, Hawlucha in the late afternoon, and Greninja in the evening. Not only did Sawyer's Pokemon find this brief change of pace useful, but it also gave Sawyer the chance to finally take a break from walking from city to city after spending so many days during each week doing pretty much only that. In addition, training routinely allowed them to get the hang of what it was they needed to look out for not just when battling Ash, but when battling other opponents as well.

After battling Ash's Pikachu twice, once with Bagon and once with Honedge, Sawyer had a fairly good sense of what Pikachu's battling style was. Its impressive speed and timing allowed Pikachu to fire both close up and long-ranged attacks at just the right moment while throwing its opponent off guard. Sawyer was aware that Pikachu was one of Ash's particularly tough Pokemon, so he spent extra time working on various techniques to slow Pikachu down or catch it off _its _guard. This included working on moves that could be launched in multiple directions, such as Sceptile's Leaf Storm and Shelgon's Dragon Breath. He did this by having Honedge use Shadow Sneak, then having Sceptile and Shelgon fire their attacks at the shadowy field of energy.

As for Talonflame, who had evolved from the Fletchinder he saw defeat Sylveon back at Valerie's Gym, Sawyer knew that Talonflame's biggest strong point by far was its speed. With moves such as Vigoroth's Thunderbolt and Clawitzer's Ice Beam, Sawyer would potentially be able to make Talonflame stop long enough for him to gain the upper hand. He knew that timing was especially crucial when it came to battling against Talonflame. To practice this, he had Slurpuff use Attract while Clawitzer and Vigoroth aimed their attacks at the hearts. Through many hours of practice, Sawyer managed to get the hang of it more and more, so much so that one could not have even guessed that timing used a struggle for him.

In Hawlucha's case, not only had Sawyer battled against it three times, but he also saw it defeat Valerie's Spritzee. From this, he knew that Hawlucha was skilled at using flashy and speedy moves, as well as taking an opponent's attack before attacking itself. His first thought was to have Honedge take advantage of its immunity to Fighting-Type moves, and defend against Hawlucha's X-Scissor attack, which was its only non-Fighting-Type move. The only problem was that Honedge specialized in repetitive attack moves as well, so that may end up giving Hawlucha the advantage. Another thought he had was to battle against Hawlucha with Vigoroth once it evolved into Slaking, as it would potentially be able to endure Hawlucha's repetitive attacks and then bounce it back with Counter. Because Vigoroth's battling style was drastically different when compared to that of Slakoth and Slaking, Sawyer knew he could not yet work on this potential tactic. That would need to wait until after Vigoroth had evolved. For the time being, he had each of his Pokemon work on defending against close-ranged attacks that they were either immune or resistant to, such as Sceptile with Clawitzer's Crabhammer and Slurpuff with Shelgon's Dragon Claw. He took a similar approach while working on long-ranged attacks during the evenings so that they could practice battling against both Greninja and Hawlucha. This provided Clawitzer the opportunity to work on moves powered up by its Mega Launcher ability, such as Dragon Pulse and Heal Pulse. It even got the hang of dodging by firing Dragon Pulse toward the ground and shooting itself upward like a rocket.

Sawyer and his Pokemon spent one week in total working on these battling techniques every day. The more they practiced, the better each of his Pokemon got at both close-up and long-ranged attacks, especially his Sceptile. Once the week was over, each Sawyer's Pokemon felt much more confident and were ready to challenge the Snowbelle Gym. While Sawyer made his way through Large Vallee Way, the route in between Couriway and Snowbelle, he came across several trainers who he got the chance to battle against, which helped him and his Pokemon see just how much their training had paid off. So far, their training had paid off in a massive way, as they were able to defeat a wide variety of opponents, including several unpredictable opponents who Sawyer never could have imagined himself defeating earlier on in his journey.

The trainer who Sawyer was currently battling against was a young woman with short, brown hair who wore a purple hoodie and a green scarf. Her Pokemon was a Wartortle, an indigo chelonian Pokemon with long, pale blue ears, and a tough, brown shell upon its back. "Wartortle! Use Skull Bash!" she ordered.

"_Tortle…_" Wartortle whispered, tucking its head into its shell and surrounding itself in a silver aura. "_Wartortle!_" It roared, rocketing itself head-first toward its opponent.

"Alright, Vigoroth! Use Counter!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Vigoooo!_" Vigoroth hollered, enveloping itself in an aura of multi-colored energy, before delivering a ferocious punch that sent Wartortle flying several feet backward. "_Roth!_"

"No! Wartortle!" the trainer cried.

"Use Thunderbolt, now!" Sawyer called.

Upon Sawyer's command, Vigoroth cloaked itself in a veil of electric sparks, before launching a shocking beam of energy toward its opponent. "_Roooooth!_" Vigoroth's attack landed and rendered Wartortle unable to battle.

"Alright! Way to go, Vigoroth!" Sawyer cheered, as his Vigoroth began to swing its arms, though not quite as vigorously as usual.

"Wartortle, take a good rest," the trainer said, as she knelt down toward her exhausted Pokemon and called it back into its Poke Ball. "Thanks very much for the battle."

"No problem," Sawyer replied. "Your Wartortle's really strong."

"Same with your Vigoroth. I wish you luck at the Snowbelle Gym," the trainer stated, before making her way toward the Pokemon Center.

"Thanks," Sawyer responded. He then looked toward his Vigoroth with a proud smile. "Wow, Vigoroth! Your Counter has been getting a lot stronger!"

"_Vigo!_" Vigoroth cheered, as its body began to glimmer in a brilliant blue light. Sawyer's eyes began to sparkle, realizing that his Vigoroth was evolving! While Vigoroth's body grew larger and larger, it began to hunch over and eventually lie down. The bright light disappeared, revealing a bulky, brown Pokemon with a white-collar of fur around its neck, and on the back of its head. "_Slaaaaaak…_" the Pokemon yawned.

"That's awesome, Slaking! You evolved!" Sawyer shouted joyously, tightening his fists in sheer exhilaration as his Pokemon continue to lay idly where it was. "So, what do you say, Slaking? Feel ready for our final Gym Battle?"

"_King…_" Slaking mumbled, closing its eyes as it lazily scratched its stomach. Seeing this did not discourage Sawyer however, as he knew this was just Slaking's way of storing up the energy it needed to bring out the best in its power. Regardless of how sleepy it may have looked, Sawyer believed in his Pokemon one hundred percent.

After around two weeks of traveling through Large Vallee Way, Sawyer arrived in Snowbelle City. Just as the name implied, the town was completely blanketed in snow, even though it was nowhere close to the northernmost part of Kalos. Every other part of Kalos, with the exception of Mamoswine Road, had a much warmer climate. It was widely thought throughout the Kalos region that the cause of Snowbelle City's freezing temperature was actually the Snowbelle Gym itself.

After Sawyer arrived at the Snowbelle Gym, which was inside a wide, grey building at the top of a mountain, he made his way through a hallway filled with light blue ceiling lights. Once Sawyer was at the door to the Gym, a group of five small Pokemon were elevated from the floor. "_Bergmite!_" the blue, iceberg-like Pokemon chanted, looking as if they were greeting Sawyer. The screen placed above the door then turned on, showing an image of a purple Poke Ball in front of a cerulean background.

"Welcome to the Snowbelle Gym," the voice from the monitor said. "Please make sure that you have made all necessary preparations before you enter the Gym. The temperature will drop significantly once you enter."

"Right," Sawyer replied, nodding his head. "I'm ready to go."

"Understood," the voice stated. "Please come in."

After the Bergmite approached the door, it slowly began to open. Sawyer could instantly sense the drastic temperature drop, though after traveling across Mamoswine Road three times, it did not bother him as much he thought that it would. Once the doors were completely open, Sawyer saw that every inch of the Gym, including the walls and ceiling, was blanketed in ice. Much to Sawyer's shock, however, the Gym Leader, who was sitting on a chair made of ice, was wearing a blue jacket over his shoulders, with his white tank-top exposed. "I welcome you to the Snowbelle Gym," he said, with his white mustache making it difficult to determine whether or not he was smiling. "It's been a while since I've had a challenger come here. I'm Wulfric, the Snowbelle Gym Leader."

"My name's Sawyer," he stated, shaking a bit both due to the cold and due to nervousness. He was well aware that this was his first time talking to the Gym Leader who was said to be the strongest in the Kalos region, which made him even more nervous than he had already been about this battle. "I've come here to challenge you to a Gym Battle."

"A Gym Battle, huh?" Wulfric responded. "How many badges might you have right now?"

"I've got seven, sir," Sawyer replied.

"Seven, huh?" Wulfric asked. "You've certainly come a long way."

"I hear that you're one of the strongest Gym Leaders in the Kalos region," Sawyer remarked. "I wanted to make that sure I was completely prepared before I challenged you to a battle."

"You know what? Ice can be both strong and fragile at the same time, which means I can be your toughest challenge yet, or a walk in the park," Wulfric stated. "It all comes down to what Pokemon you send out, and how much the two of you believe in each other. But you know what? I like it this way. It's just how a Gym Battle should be. But enough with the chit chat. What do you say we begin our battle right now?"

"Right!" Sawyer responded with an assured nod, knowing that he believed in his Pokemon one hundred percent.

As Sawyer made his way to the left side of the battlefield, the judge, who wore a blue winter suit and a grey pair of earmuffs, stepped onto the side of the battlefield. "The Snowbelle Gym Battle between Wulfric the Gym Leader, and Sawyer the challenger, is about to get underway!" he announced. "Both sides will have the use of three Pokemon, and the battle will be over when both Pokemon on either side is unable to battle. Also, only the challenger may substitute their Pokemon."

"Okay, Weavile! Come on out!" Wulfric cried, hurling his Poke Ball forward.

"_Wea!_" Wulfric's dark grey, mammalian Pokemon growled. It had a crown of red feathers on its head, as well as razor-sharp, white claws, and intimidating red eyes.

"Weavile, huh?" Sawyer muttered as he pulled out his Poke Ball from his pocket. "Alright then. Slaking let's go!"

"_Slaaaaak…_" Slaking yawned, as it emerged from its Poke Ball in a flash of sparkling light.

"Battle, begin!" the judge proclaimed.

"Use Brick Break!" Wulfric ordered.

"_Wea…_" Weavile whispered, as its arm began to glow white. "_Vile!_" It then zipped its way toward Slaking, and slammed its claw down onto its opponent, though Slaking gave no reaction.

"Not defending, huh?" Wulfric asked. "Alright, Weavile! Brick Break again!"

"_Vile!_" Weavile roared, slamming its claw down vigorously onto its unfazed opponent, as the Normal-Type Pokemon idly endured each of the attacks.

"Use Ice Punch!" Wulfric commanded.

"_Viiile!_" Weavile hollered, pulling its arm back and surrounding it in a veil of frigid energy, before firing a punch at its opponent's stomach. Slaking stood where it was, cringing a bit as its body began to freeze, though Sawyer managed to remain calm.

"Alright, Slaking! Use Slack Off!" Sawyer called.

"_Kiiiing…_" Slaking yawned, as it surrounded itself in a green energy field, instantly healing the wounds scattered across its body. Slaking did not, however, manage to remove the ice surrounding its body.

"Aerial Ace! Now!" Wulfric ordered.

"_Weavile!_" Weavile growled, launching itself toward its opponent at lightning speed, and slashing it with its glowing light blue claw. Once again, Slaking managed to endure the attack with ease.

"Keep using Aerial Ace, Weavile!" Wulfric instructed.

"_Wea! Vile! Wea! Vile!_" Weavile shouted, firing continuous slashes toward its opponent, though not of them triggered a single reaction. One of them did, however, break through the ice enveloping Slaking's body, much to Wulfric and Weavile's shock.

"Use Counter!" Sawyer commanded.

"_King!_" Slaking roared, surrounding itself in a multi-colored energy field before delivering a potent punch toward Weavile, sending the Dark and Ice-Type Pokemon flying several feet backward.

"Now use Hammer Arm!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Slaaaaaaaa… King!_" Slaking hollered, lifting its fist upward, then hammering it down on its opponent. The especially effective Fighting-Type move rendered Weavile unconscious.

"Weavile is unable to battle!" the judge declared. "Slaking is the winner!"

"Alright!" Sawyer cheered, as Slaking simply responded with a yawn, back to its old, slothful self.

"Weavile, return. Excellent job," Wulfric said, calling his exhausted Pokemon back to its Poke Ball before looking toward his challenger. "You know what? You and your Slaking pulled off that tactic fairly well," he stated, still not seeming to express much emotion on his face.

"Thanks," Sawyer responded. "I know that Weavile usually tend to specialize in physical attacks. So, I decided to send out Slaking so that we could store up enough energy to use Counter."

"I see," Wulfric remarked. "But that's as far as you'll go! Avalugg, come on out!"

"_Luuugg!_" The enormous, chelonian-like Pokemon roared. Its body was completely comprised of reflective ice, with two diamond-shaped ears beside its yellow eyes.

"Alright, Slaking. Take a good rest," Sawyer said, calling Slaking back and pulling out his next Poke Ball. "Honedge, let's go!"

"_Honedge!_" Sawyer's Pokemon said, ready and raring to battle.


	26. Tip of the Iceberg

"Now, Honedge! Use Slash!" Sawyer instructed.

"_Hone!_" Honedge shouted, launching itself toward its opponent and landing a mighty slash.

"Avalanche let's go!" Wulfric ordered.

"Iron Defense!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Avaaaaaaa!_" Avalugg roared, summoning a murky, swirling cloud above Honedge, then dropping several chunks of ice onto its opponent. "_Lugg!_" Honedge, however, managed to defend itself with ease using its unsheathed, hardened sword.

"Stone Edge!" Wulfric called.

"Use Sacred Sword!" Sawyer instructed.

"_Luuuugg!_" Upon its trainer's cue, Avalugg slammed its front legs into the frigid floor and summoned a series of blue, stony pillars toward Honedge. Just in the nick of time however, it deflected them all with a powerful slash from its glowing blue sword. As it cut through the pillars, it made its way toward Avalugg and struck it with a direct hit.

"Gyro Ball!" Wulfric commanded.

"_Avaaaa!_" Avalugg shouted, swiftly spinning in an aura of light blue energy, and sending its opponent flying straight into a wall.

"Honedge! Are you okay?" Sawyer asked.

"_Hone,_" Honedge replied with a reassuring nod.

_We'll need to keep Avalugg from using Gyro Ball again if we want to get in close…_ Sawyer thought to himself.

"Use Stone Edge!" Wulfric ordered.

"Iron Defense let's go!" Sawyer called.

"_Lugg!_" As Avalugg summoned another series of pillars toward its opponent, Honedge defended itself with its hardened metal sword.

"Now aim for its foot and use Slash!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Hone-Edge!_" Honedge shouted, rocketing itself toward the Ice-Type Pokemon, and delivering a ferocious slash on its right leg, which sent the Pokemon tumbling to the ground.

"Now use Sacred Sword!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Edge!_" Honedge roared, firing another slash with its glowing, blue sword, rendering Avalugg out for the count.

"Avalugg is unable to battle!" the judge stated. "Honedge is the winner!"

"Yes! We did it, Honedge!" Sawyer shouted with much delight, as his Steel and Ghost-Type Pokemon gave a calm and composed nod, this time while glowing in a brilliant bundle of blue light. Sawyer's excitement increased further as he watched his Pokemon grow in size and split into two swords. The bundle of light then disintegrated, revealing a Pokemon whose body was comprised of two swords attached to pink, tassel-like arms. "That's awesome, Doublade!" Sawyer squealed, overjoyed by this turn of events. "You've evolved!"

"_Doublade…_" Doublade whispered in a robotic voice, continuing to maintain a deadpan expression.

"Thank you, Avalugg," Wulfric said, aiming the red light from his Poke Ball toward Avalugg, and calling it back. "Congratulations on your Honedge evolving."

"Thanks, Wulfric!" Sawyer responded. "Alright, Doublade! Ready to go?"

"_Doublade,_" Doublade responded with a calm and collected nod.

"Alright… Abomasnow, let's go!" Wulfric shouted, throwing his Poke Ball forward.

"_Abomaaaaaaaa!_" Wulfric's shaggy white Pokemon hollered. This Pokemon had pale, purple eyes, lengthy strands of fur that covered its mouth, and giant, dark green hands. Upon being sent out, it released a massive gust of frigid air from its body, which soon summoned a murky cloud above the battlefield that then released a hailstorm.

_Of course,_ Sawyer thought to himself. _Abomasnow's ability is Snow Warning. It creates a hailstorm when the Abomasnow is sent out. We'll need to be careful of that hail…_ "Okay, Doublade! Use Night Slash!" he instructed.

"_Blade!_" Doublade shouted, surrounding its swords in a purple field of energy before charging toward its opponent at great speed.

"Use Ice Punch!" Wulfric ordered.

"_Snoooow!_" Abomasnow said, delivering a freezing punch against the potent slash, leaving both sides equally matched. After the collision was done, Doublade continued to sense the constant hail falling onto its body, which dealt a small amount to it of damage every second.

"You know what? The trust between you and your Pokemon is stronger than I expected," Wulfric remarked, as he lifted the charm of his pendant and revealed a mysterious, multi-colored orb. "Looks like it's time for me to bring out my full power!" Sawyer examined the orb in Wulfric's pendant closely, and quickly identified it as a Mega Evolution Key Stone! He observed in awe as the Key Stone began to emit dazzling streams of multi-colored, which made their way toward Abomasnow, who was also wearing a pendant. This pendant contained an Abomasite, the Mega Stone necessary for Abomasnow to Mega Evolve. "Here we go, Abomasnow! Mega Evolve!"

"_Snoooooooow!_" Abomasnow became enveloped in a mysterious aura of purple energy, as it slowly altered in form. As its body became shaggier, and the green sprouts on its back transformed into giant shafts of ice, its arms fell toward the ground. The purple light disintegrated and revealed a much tougher-looking version of Wulfric's Pokemon.

"Wow!" Sawyer cheered, sensing the adrenaline racing through his body as his eyes glimmered brightly. "I've never seen a Pokemon Mega Evolve up close before! So _that's_ what Mega Evolution looks like!"

"You know what? I'm glad you enjoy our little surprise," Wulfric stated, still maintaining a deadpan expression. "Now it's time for the two of you to really show me what you're made of!"

"You got it!" Sawyer responded. "Doublade, use Sacred Sword!"

"Abomasnow! Wood Hammer!" Wulfric ordered.

"_Dou-Blade!_" Doublade roared, charging in toward its powered-up opponent with its extended, blue sword. Before it could land its attack however, Abomasnow surrounded its arm in a light green aura that soon turned into the shape of a log. It then smashed its arm onto its incoming opponent, knocking it out in an instant.

"_Doublade!_" Sawyer cried.

"Doublade is unable to battle!" the judge declared. "Abomasnow is the winner!"

"Thank you, Doublade," Sawyer said, calling his Pokemon back before looking down toward his Poke Ball. "You take a nice rest. Don't worry. We'll beat that Mega Abomasnow for sure." He then pulled out another Poke Ball from his pocket and threw it straight toward the battlefield. "Slaking! Come on out!"

"_Slaaaak…_" Slaking yawned, not looking quite as content this time due to the falling hail.

"Ready to go?" Sawyer asked, as his Pokemon responded with a confident nod.

"Abomasnow, use Energy Ball!" Wulfric commanded.

"_Snow!_" Abomasnow shouted, firing an orb of light green energy toward Slaking, causing it to flinch for a moment as it slid backward on the icy ground.

Sawyer grunted. _I wasn't expecting Abomasnow to use a long-ranged move… _he thought. _The way things are right now, we can't get in close. But if we can paralyze Abomasnow with Thunderbolt, maybe we'll be able to get in close enough to use Hammer Arm…_ "Alright, Slaking! Use Thunderbolt!"

"Use Ice Shard!" Wulfric ordered.

"_Kiiiiiiing…_" Slaking murmured, storing up electricity before getting struck by a cluster of ice chucks, immediately knocking it unconscious as well.

"Slaking is unable to battle!" The judge proclaimed. "Abomasnow is the winner!"

Sawyer called his Pokemon back into its Poke Ball, shaking a bit after witnessing Mega Abomasnow's power. "Thank you. Take a good rest, Slaking," he said, before putting his Poke Ball back into his pocket and gazing toward Wulfric's mighty and powerful Pokemon. _I know fire is Abomasnow's weakness, _he thought._ Slurpuff's Flamethrower should be able to knock it out fairly quickly. But we'll need to get past its long-ranged attack moves if we want to win this battle. _Sawyer took in a deep breath, then slowly let it out, before throwing his next Poke Ball toward the frozen field. "Alright, Slurpuff! Let's go!"

"_Slurpuff!_" Sawyer's pink Pokemon cheered, ready to battle.


	27. Pure as the Driven Snow

"Abomasnow, use Ice Shard!" Wulfric commanded.

"_Aboma…_" Mega Abomasnow whispered, forming an aura of light blue energy with its mouth. "_Snow!_" It then fired a cluster of icy shards toward its opponent.

"Flamethrower! Go!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Puuuff!_" Slurpuff roared, firing a gush of flames toward the shards of ice. The two attacks collided neck and neck and summoned a massive cloud of steam.

"Flamethrower, one more time!" Sawyer instructed.

Slurpuff closed its eyes and began sniffing the area. Within a few short seconds, it managed to locate Abomasnow's whereabouts. "_Puff!_" it shouted, launching a searing blast toward its opponent and striking it with a direct hit.

"You know what? That was impressive," Wulfric remarked. "The way your Slurpuff figured out exactly where my Abomasnow was and aimed its attack perfectly."

"That was thanks to Slurpuff's strong sense of smell," Sawyer said. "It can always sense where its opponent is no matter how hard it might be to see them."

"I see," Wulfric replied. "Well, we'll just have to see how much further the two of you will go. Abomasnow! Use Energy Ball!"

"Use Cotton Guard!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Snow!_" Abomasnow hollered, as it launched an orb of light green energy toward the Fairy-Type Pokemon, who defended against it just in time with a barrier of cotton puffs.

"Now keep using Energy Ball!" Wulfric commanded.

"_Snow! Snow! Snow!_" Abomasnow roared, launching continuous Energy Balls toward Slurpuff.

"Keep using Cotton Guard, Slurpuff!" Sawyer called.

"_Puff…_" Slurpuff muttered, struggling to keep up its Cotton Guard attack. The fact that it was also enduring the continuous hail did not make things much easier for Slurpuff. Each energy orb that hit Slurpuff resulted in an explosion of grey smoke, which kept Sawyer from noticing that Abomasnow was gradually making its way toward Slurpuff. Once the explosion cleared, Abomasnow was a mere foot away from Slurpuff, causing Sawyer to gasp.

"Now use Wood Hammer!" Wulfric instructed.

"_A… Boma…_" Abomasnow growled, lifting its heavy arm into the air, and surrounding it in a green log-shaped energy field. "_Snow!_" It then slammed its arm onto its opponent, leaving it dazed.

"Slurpuff! Are you okay?" Sawyer asked.

"_Slurpuff!_" Sawyer's Pokemon replied with a nod.

_Abomasnow's faster than I thought,_ Sawyer thought to himself. _We'll need to keep it from moving somehow so that we can fire that Flamethrower attack._ "Use Attract!"

"_Slurpuff, Puff…_" Slurpuff said, winking at Abomasnow and creating a series of hearts around its body. The hearts then started to waft their way toward the Ice and Grass-Type Pokemon, and circle around it. Once the hearts stopped circling Mega Abomasnow and entered its body, it gazed dreamily at Slurpuff. In response to this, Wulfric let out a gasp of shock.

"Now's our chance!" Sawyer declared. "Use Flamethrower!"

"_Puff!_" Slurpuff shouted, releasing another gush of scorching fire toward the infatuated Abomasnow, and engulfing it within seconds.

"Now use Fairy Wind!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Slurpuff!_" Slurpuff growled, as it summoned a gust of pink wind toward its opponent, which was strong enough to send the immobilized Mega Abomasnow tumbling backward. The Pokemon struck the ground with a loud thud and was out for the count. It then became surrounded in a multi-colored aura, allowing it to return to its original form while the hail began to disappear as well.

"Abomasnow is unable to battle!" the judge stated. "Slurpuff wins! Which means the match goes to the challenger Sawyer!"

"We did it…" Sawyer murmured, stunned upon hearing the judge's call. "We won our final Gym Battle…" Not only had he defeated a Mega Evolved Pokemon, but he also won the battle that allowed him access to the Kalos League. As the information sunk in, a wide smile spread across Sawyer's face. "Yes! We did it, Slurpuff!" he squealed. "We really won!"

"_Slurpuff!_" Slurpuff shouted joyously, raising its chubby arm up into the air with a smile just as wide as its trainer's.

"Abomasnow, take a good rest," Wulfric said, calling his exhausted Abomasnow back into its Poke Ball before looking toward his ecstatic challenger. "Congratulations on your victory at the Snowbelle Gym. In honor of you and your Pokemon's hard work, I would like to present you with the Freeze Badge."

The judge handed Sawyer a gift case, containing a Gym Badge that resembled a snowflake with a blue iceberg in the center. "Thank you so much!" Sawyer cheered, taking the badge from the gift case and gazing down at it in complete admiration. He immediately took his badge case out of his backpack and gently placed the Freeze Badge into the final slot. Seeing all those badges together made him feel as if he was in a dream. It felt like just yesterday that he and his Treecko had begun their journey in Hoenn, and now here he was, looking at a complete set of Gym Badges in a whole different region.

"I hope that this battle has helped you learn something," Wulfric stated. "While being rigid can make you durable, you may also find that it can make you shatter easily. Flexibility is the key to avoiding such a situation. I want for you to remember this as you prepare for the Kalos League."

"Right," Sawyer said, briskly pulling out his notebook. "I'll make a note of it." As Sawyer put his notebook back into his pocket, he thought back to how he had planned to search for a Mega Stone for his Sceptile after he had earned his final badge. He then looked up toward Wulfric. "By the way, would you mind telling me where you found the Mega Stone for your Abomasnow? You see, I'm hoping to find a Sceptilite so that my Sceptile can learn how to Mega Evolve."

"Not at all," Wulfric replied, holding up his Mega Pendant. "It was given to me a couple years back when I participated in Pandra's Mega Evolution trial."

"Pandra?" Sawyer asked.

"An elder named Pandra lives on Derniere Way, which is just west of Snowbelle City," Wulfric stated. "She and her Mega Ampharos are in charge of a trial that trainers must pass if they wish to receive a Mega Stone from her collection. And you know what? She may just have a Sceptilite in her collection. Of course, if that's the case, then you and your Sceptile will need to complete her trial to earn that Mega Stone."

"I see," Sawyer replied, quickly jotting this down before looking up at the Gym Leader with an enthused smile on this face. "I'll see if she as a Sceptilite, and is she does, Sceptile and I will pass that trial for sure!"

"You've sure got spirit," Wulfric remarked. "I wish you the best of luck."

"Thanks," Sawyer nodded with confidence. "I'll do my best."

Although Sawyer left the gym feeling overall satisfied with his win, he was still not quite sure what Wulfric thought about the battle, given that he did not notice him smiling once at all throughout. Regardless of that, he still remained confident that he had grown as a result of that battle, and that he was now ready to challenge Ash once again.

As Sawyer was making his way through a forest path the next day, hoping to find Pandra and her Ampharos, he began to hear what seemed to be a battle happening nearby. The battle was happening right near a bricked Pokemon Center. By the time he had gotten to where the battle was taking place, the match was over, though one of the trainers was still standing on the battlefield with his Pokemon. That team turned out to be none other than Ash and Greninja!

Okay, readers, you know the drill. Get your televisions or computers on, kick back and watch episodes 26 and 27 of _Pokemon the Series: XYZ: A Full-Strength Battle Surprise!_ and _All Hail the Ice Battlefield!_ And don't ask me about Team Flare. As I said, we'll get to that soon.


	28. In Wake of the Twist

A lot to take in in just two episodes, huh? You Lazy Larrys out there have no idea what you're missing out on. Oh well... Normally I wouldn't bother giving this much information just for you stubborn Lazy Larrys, but I'm feeling generous right now.

After Sawyer showed Ash his complete collection of Gym Badges, Ash told him that he had not yet won his eighth badge, though he did challenge Champion Diantha the other day. He said that while he and Greninja were battling, they had merged completely, even more so than when he battled against Sawyer. He was not quite able to put his finger on what it was like, so the two rivals decided to have a three on three battle so that Sawyer could both see the transformation and get to show Ash how much he had grown as a trainer. Using the tactics that he had perfected during his training near Couriway Town, Sawyer was able to defeat Ash's Noivern and Hawlucha. Once the battle was down one to one, with Sceptile versus Greninja, Ash tried to force the transformation to happen out of desperation to beat Sawyer, who had taken him by surprise with his new-found strength. It was because of this that the transformation did not occur, which left Ash frozen and distraught as he wondered why it did not work. This gave Sawyer the chance to land a Leaf Blade and Leaf Storm attack that quickly defeated Greninja. Both Sawyer and Sceptile were overjoyed following their first victory against their rival and role model. Ash even commented on how Sawyer's strength had surprised him, which touched Sawyer greatly. That evening, Ash and his friends agreed to let Sawyer accompany them to watch his Snowbelle Gym Battle.

The next day, they arrived at Snowbelle City, where Ash made a promise to Sawyer that he would win and that the two of them would even the score at the Kalos League. Upon arriving at the Snowbelle Gym, Sawyer got to see Wulfric smile and say that their battle was a heated one, much to Sawyer's exhilaration. Even though Ash managed to defeat Wulfric's Abomasnow fairly quickly, he and his Pokemon struggled quite a bit during their battle against Avalugg, due to its powerful Avalanche attack. After Greninja, Ash's last Pokemon, was sent into battle, the two of them managed to achieve the Ash-Greninja form, as nicknamed by Bonnie. Sawyer noticed however that it was the same form he saw in his last battle with Ash. Due to his strong desire to surpass Sawyer and keep the promise he made that he would win, Ash ended up pushing both himself and Greninja beyond their limits. This act of recklessness caused Greninja to lose while taking a massive amount of damage and even caused Ash to faint due to the side effects of the Ash-Greninja form. After watching this battle, Sawyer could tell that something was not quite right. In both of Ash's last two battles, his recklessness and desire to win had cost him the match. He appeared to be lacking trust in his Pokemon, which Sawyer could recognize due to him having learned the importance of trust from Ash himself. It seemed as though the Ash that Sawyer saw win at the Laverre City Gym had vanished. This made him wonder if his supposed victory against Ash really was a victory. More importantly, he wondered if the Ash that he once admired would come back and be able to win his eighth badge in time for the Kalos League. As Sawyer left the group to get his Pokemon ready for the League, he told himself that the person he idolized so much would come back and win, although he continued to question if that would really be the case after witnessing such a drastic change in his role model.

Although it had disturbed Sawyer seeing his idol disappear right before his eyes, once the night had arrived, it did not take too long for tiredness to outweigh that feeling of displeasure. He knew that a good night's sleep was what he needed to shake the doubts he was having about his role model. At least… that was what he thought. Little did he know that his healing slumber was about to be disturbed by the irritating misfortune that was nightmares. As Sawyer slept soundly in his sleeping bag below a tall tree, he saw himself battling alongside Sceptile near the same bricked Pokemon Center where he had battled Ash two days prior. It was him and Sceptile versus Ash and Greninja.

"Alright, Sceptile! Bullet Seed!" Sawyer commanded.

"Greninja! Dodge it and use Aerial Ace!" Ash ordered.

"_Ninja!_" Greninja cried, swiftly evading Sceptile's blast of seeds, before zipping straight toward its opponent.

"Use Leaf Storm!" Sawyer instructed.

"_Tiiiile!_" Sceptile roared, summoning a cluster of leaves around its palm tree-like tail. Once Greninja was a mere foot away from Sceptile, it launched the Leaf Storm attack, striking Greninja with a direct hit. Even though the Leaf Storm was pushing it back, Greninja felt committed to staying on the ground for its trainer.

"Greninja! Stay on the ground!" Ash shouted.

"_Jaaaaaaa!_" Greninja shrieked, being lifted up into the sky by the swirling tornado of leaves, much to Ash's dismay. Greninja seemed to be quite dismayed as well, not just from being attacked, but also out of guilt for not meeting its trainer's hopes.

"Alright! Wrap this up, Sceptile!" Sawyer called.

"_Tile!_" Sceptile hollered, slamming its tail onto the ground, bringing the tornado and Greninja along with it. Both sides were well aware that the battle was in Sawyer and Sceptile's favor.

"Let's finish this up with Leaf Blade!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Sceeeeeeep…_" Sceptile said, dashing toward its opponent with its merged, glowing leaves. Before its attack landed, however, Greninja began to glow in a bundle of red light, causing Sceptile's attack to go right through it!

"_Ja?_" Greninja exclaimed, looking at Ash in shock and confusion as it vanished into its Poke Ball.

Both Sawyer and Sceptile widened their eyes, equally as shocked as Greninja was. "Hey, Ash! What's going on?" he asked.

"Just forget about it," Ash replied glumly. "Greninja's not powerful enough to beat Sceptile."

"W-What are you talking about, Ash?" Sawyer stammered.

"That's just how it is," Ash stated. "I can't do anything about it."

"Huh…?" Sawyer muttered, not knowing how to respond to Ash's out of character statement. Irritated by his idol's uncharacteristic display of negativity, he gave Ash a look of annoyance. "I know that's not true, Ash!" he shouted. "Trainers overcome these situations by trusting their Pokemon and battling as one with them! You're the one who taught me that, remember?"

"What are you talking about?" Ash asked.

"I was there when you won your Gym Battle with Valerie!" Sawyer exclaimed. "I saw how well you and your Pokemon worked together! I know how good of a trainer you are!"

"It sure doesn't seem that way," Ash responded. "The way I battle is just like how any other trainer battles. What made you think that I'm that good of a trainer anyway?"

"Huh…?" Sawyer replied, beginning to question that himself.

"You're better off not following me, Sawyer," Ash said coldly, as he turned around and walked away into a pitch-black void. The further that Ash walked, the harder it became for Sawyer to see him. He had no idea where Ash was going, nor if he would return.

"Ash! Wait! Come back!" Sawyer cried as the image of Ash grew darker and darker until finally, everything was pitch black. It was at that moment he slowly began to sense his surroundings and realize that he was still cocooned in his sleeping bag. All of his recent memories raced back to him as well as he laid where he was in a drowsy state of shock, with his eyes only a quarter of the way open. Upon waking up, Sawyer realized that while the whole thing was a dream, a lot of it was all too real. What he saw in Dream Ash strongly resembled what he saw in the Ash he met during their last encounter. Although he was in a greatly disturbed state, he knew that it was very early in the morning, and he barely had the energy to keep his eyes open.

After letting out a sigh of relief, Sawyer closed his eyes, trying to let tiredness outweigh his state of uneasiness once again. The longer he kept his eyes closed however, the more vividly he could picture his idol walking away in the pitch-black void, just like in his dream. Although he struggled, Sawyer managed to slowly open his eyes and then close them again, hoping that would get rid of the image. Within a matter of seconds, however, the image came back. Being in the dozy state that he was in, Sawyer wanted to go back to sleep, though he _knew _that he was going to have that dream again if he dozed off at that moment. Fed up with this recurring image, Sawyer rubbed his tired eyes, unzipped his sleeping bag, and gathered all the energy he had to lift himself off the ground. He then began taking a walk along the grassy area to clear his mind.

As Sawyer sat down and stared at the river below him, he continuously reminded himself that everything he saw was a dream. Yet, no matter how many times told himself this, it all came back to how the dream was based on what he had actually seen during his last encounter with Ash. He kept thinking back to what Dream Ash said to him: "What made you think I'm that good of a trainer anyway?" Ash did seem like a completely different person at the Snowbelle Gym. Was he like that all along? Did Sawyer see Ash differently back in Laverre due to their difference in skill level? If so, what did that mean for Sawyer? Almost all the inspiration that had led to Sawyer becoming the trainer he was had come from Ash. This made Sawyer wonder if he had chosen the correct person to look up to. Before Sawyer had the chance to contemplate this, he was startled out of his train of thought when he heard his Poke Ball opening from his pocket. The blue, sparkling blue light traveled from his pocket and then circled beside him, before disintegrating and revealing his Sceptile, who looked at its trainer with an expression of deep concern.

"Thanks, Sceptile…" Sawyer muttered, trying to give his Pokemon a smile, though failing to do so. He then sighed and looked back toward the river. "I was just thinking back to Ash's battle at the Snowbelle Gym. He seemed like a completely different person to me. Not like the person we saw beat Valerie at the Laverre Gym."

"_Tile?_" Sceptile asked.

"All this time since we arrived in Laverre City, I have been looking up to Ash so much, and that's a big part of what's helped me bring you guys this far on our journey," Sawyer remarked. "But now I'm beginning to wonder if all this time… the main reason I looked up to Ash is that he was further ahead of me. Is Ash really the trainer I imagined he was?"

"_Scep…_" Sceptile murmured, picking up on its trainer's sadness.

"Sorry, Sceptile. I know that I shouldn't be feeling down like this," Sawyer said, slowly rising to his feet with a confident look on his face. "I need to be strong so that you can feel strong too. It's just like what Ash said…" At that moment, an epiphany struck him. He realized that both he and Ash needed something to motivate them. Whenever Sawyer was faced with a situation like this, much of his motivation would come from what he had learned from Ash. Realizing this, a hopeful grin spread upon Sawyer's face, as the sun began to rise behind him. "Of course, it wasn't in my head," Sawyer stated. "I look up to Ash because he trusts his Pokemon and can use that trust get him and his Pokemon out of any tough situation. If he can do that, then he can become the Ash I knew from Laverre City again!"

"_Sceptile!_" Sawyer's Pokemon cheered, thrilled to see its trainer acting like his strong, confident self once again.

"Alright, Sceptile!" Sawyer said. "What do you say we look for that Sceptililte and then train as hard as we can for the Kalos League, so we can finish our battle with Ash once and for all?"

"_Tile!_" Sceptile shouted, ready to do just that. While it may have been difficult for Sawyer to see Ash becoming less like the Ash he knew, he still knew he had his goal to strive for and his rival to beat. One thing was for certain: even after that rough night, he was still just as motivated as he was before. Sleepy, but undeniably motivated.


	29. Within A Stone's Throw

Following his declaration to find the Sceptilite, Sawyer's focus for that day had become that and only that. His sheer determination to find Pandra and her Ampharos allowed him to power through the day despite his sleep deprivation, so much so that he had completely forgotten he was sleep-deprived within a matter of minutes. Throughout the day, it never occurred to Sawyer that his declined concentration and memory was coming from his lack of sleep. The battles he had during the day kept from thinking such things.

The opponent he was currently battling against was a purple-haired man wearing a long, white lab coat. His Pokemon was a Nidoqueen, a tall and blue reptilian Pokemon who had incredibly sturdy scales, and spines upon its back and the tips of its ears. "Nidoqueen! Take Down!" he said.

"_Nidoooooooo!_" Nidoqueen roared, as it began charging in at great speed toward its opponent.

"Alright, Shelgon! Dragon Breath!" Sawyer instructed.

"_Goooooon!_" Shelgon cried, firing a scorching blast of blue energy, stopping the charging Nidoqueen in its tracks and creating an explosion in the process.

"Now use Dragon Claw!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Shelgon!_" Upon its trainer's command, Shelgon surrounded its front leg in a green, claw-shaped aura, and slashed its opponent, which rendered it out for the count.

"Alright! We did it, Shelgon!" Sawyer cheered, jumping upward in excitement, completely forgetting that this was usually the time Shelgon would run toward him and body slam him. This time, however, Shelgon sprinted toward him while glowing in a bundle of dazzling light. Sawyer gazed in awe as his Pokemon grew significantly larger, and a pair of giant, crescent-shaped wings began to sprout from its back. Once the light disappeared, taking Shelgon's place was a massive, turquoise, draconic Pokemon. The Dragon-Type Pokemon was now at its final evolutionary stage!

If you think that evolution gave Salamence enough self-control to keep itself from body-slamming its trainer out of affection… then you are sadly mistaken. Immediately upon evolving, it flew up into the air, then swooped down toward Sawyer, instantly knocking him over just as it always had.

"_Boh! Boh!_" Salamence said as it affectionately nuzzled its trainer.

Although Sawyer had not seen that body slam coming that time, he was not bothered in the slightest. It absolutely thrilled him getting to see his Pokemon evolve, and see its delighted expression following its hard-fought battle. "That's great that you evolved, Salamence…" he muttered, struggling to lift himself off the ground.

"Hey, thank you for the battle," the trainer said.

"No problem…" Sawyer replied, smiling despite being pinned to the ground. "It was a great experience for us both."

After the trainer left, an elderly woman soon spotted Sawyer and Salamence. She had flowy, white hair and sported a yellow coat and a white shirt, as well as a necklace decorated with red beads. "My, my," she said dramatically. "It seems that your Salamence has taken quite a liking to you."

"Hey, thanks," Sawyer replied, still on the ground. "Salamence and I have been in lots of battles together, and we've been getting a whole lot of experience from them."

"Uh, yes…" the woman stammered. "That's uh… That's what I meant."

"Salamence, you take a good rest," Sawyer said, pointing his Poke Ball toward his affectionate Pokemon.

"_Boh?_" Salamence exclaimed, giving Sawyer a shocked expression before muttering sadly as it vanished into its Poke Ball.

Instantly feeling the heavy weight lift from his body, Sawyer quickly got up to his feet and noticed that the woman was standing beside an Ampharos. It was a yellow, bipedal Pokemon with stubby arms, and a red orb on its forehead and the tip of its tail. This Ampharos also had a dark yellow scarf wrapped around its neck, which was attached to a familiar-looking yellow and red orb. "That's a Mega Stone…" Sawyer muttered to himself, realizing that he may have just been standing in front of the Mega Evolution trainer who he had been searching for. "By any chance are you Pandra, the leader of the Mega Stone Trial?"

"Oh," Pandra exclaimed with much delight. "So, you've heard of me?"

"I challenged the Snowbelle Gym Leader Wulfric to a battle the other day," Sawyer stated. "He said that he got his Mega Stone from you."

"Ah, yes. He and his Abomasnow are quite strong, are they not?" Pandra remarked. "I presume you're looking for a Mega Stone as well?"

"Right," Sawyer replied. "See, I'm looking for a Sceptilite. Do you have one in your collection."

"A Sceptilite?" Pandra asked. "Why, yes. I do have a Sceptilite. It's an absolutely gorgeous Mega Stone, wouldn't you agree?"

"I wouldn't know," Sawyer remarked. "I've never seen a Sceptilite before."

"Oh. Oops…" Pandra muttered, letting out an awkward laugh. "So, what might your name be?"

"My name's Sawyer," he replied.

"Ah, Sawyer," Pandra said. "That name shouldn't be too tricky to remember. Why don't I lead you to my cave?"

"That would be great!" Sawyer responded. "Thanks!"

As Sawyer and Pandra made their way through the grassy field that led to the Mega Stone Trial Cave, the two of them discussed what Sawyer and Sceptile had been through together since they had set off on their journey. Sawyer told her about a couple experiences that the two of them shared, such as catching Slakoth and helping to rescue Bagon, and how that brought them closer together.

"So, I presume Sceptile was your first Pokemon, isn't that right, Skipper?" Pandra asked.

"It's Sawyer…" Sawyer mumbled, before taking Sceptile's Poke Ball out from his pocket and holding it up in front of himself. "Sceptile and I have gained a whole lot of experience since we set off on our journey back in Littleroot Town. See, Steven Stone was the one who told me that Sceptile is capable of Mega Evolution."

"Steven Stone…?" Pandra muttered, widening her eyes in complete shock, as a wide smile spread across her face. "You met Steven Stone?" Pandra's usual soft voice turned into a squeal, much to Sawyer's surprise. Once she realized this, she mellowed down and blushed. "Go on…"

"I came to the Kalos region so that I could find a Mega Stone for my Sceptile, and Steven even gave me a Key Stone that I can use once I find it!" Sawyer stated. "I know that Mega Evolution is tricky to master, but Steven told me that he believes I can do it. He saw Treecko and I battling against a wild Taillow and told me that I have a bright future ahead of me."

"Well, if that's what the Champion of Hoenn says, then I have no doubt in my mind that you and your Sceptile will do just fine," Pandra said, before stopping next to a cavern within a tall mountain. Next to the cavern was what appeared to be an electrical generator.

"Is this it?" Sawyer asked.

"It sure is," Pandra replied. "I welcome you to my Mega Stone Trial Cave."

"Wow…" Sawyer muttered, realizing that he was standing right in front of the place where he could potentially obtain a Mega Stone, and be able to achieve Mega Evolution with his Sceptile just like he had been dreaming of. He opened his Poke Ball, and sent out his Sceptile, who gazed toward the cavern as well. "Sceptile, look. This is where the Mega Stone Trial is. If we pass this trial, we'll be able to use Mega Evolution!"

"_Sceptile!_" Sawyer's Pokemon cried joyously, raising its fist into the air.

"So how does this trial work?" Sawyer asked.

"Well, you see, there are two chambers that you and your Sceptile must pass through before reaching the final room," Pandra stated. "Both chambers have built-in floor panels that you one of you must walk across before the door to the next chamber will open. Some of the panels will trigger an alarm if stepped on, and you will need to start again. Both of you will be wearing a mask that will act as a blindfold while you are crossing the chambers. In the first chamber, Sceptile's mask will darken, and it will be up to you to tell it where to move. In the next chamber, your mask will darken, and Sceptile will need to let you know where to move."

"Sceptile?" Sawyer asked, knowing that Pokemon, at least the vast majority of them, were only able to say syllables of their species' name. "How is that going to work?"

"That will be up for you and Sceptile to decide," Pandra replied. "After all, this is a friendship test, and a strong friendship is key when it comes to mastering the art of Mega Evolution.

Sawyer gave his Pokemon an assured smile. "We can do it, right Sceptile?" he asked.

"_Tile,_" Sceptile replied, nodding its head with an equal amount of confidence as its trainer.

"Once you make it to the last chamber, you will find the Sceptilite," Pandra said. "While you're there, you may also pick out an Evolutionary Stone of your choice."

"An Evolutionary Stone…?" Sawyer asked, realizing that he had a Pokemon on his team, Doublade, who could evolve with an Evolutionary Stone. "Do you have a Dusk Stone?"

"Why, yes. I do," Pandra replied.

"That's great!" Sawyer cheered, looking toward his Sceptile. "If we pass this trial, we'll be able to get that Sceptilite, and give Doublade the chance to evolve!"

"Well then, shall we get started, Scottie?" Pandra asked.

"The name's still Sawyer…" Sawyer muttered.

"Oh, my apologies…" Pandra replied with another embarrassed laugh. She then turned toward the electrical generator and picked up two glass-constructed masks, both of which appeared to have a small transmitting device attached to them. "Here are your guys' masks," she said, handing them over to Sawyer and Sceptile.

"Thanks," Sawyer responded, as he and Sceptile took the masks from Pandra's hands. Neither of them was sure what their purpose was for this trial, though both of them were looking forward to finding out.

"Ampharos?" Pandra said, turning toward her Pokemon.

"_Paluluuu!_" Ampharos replied, firing a Thunderbolt attack from the orb on its forehead, and aiming it toward the generator. The inside of the cavern then began to glow in a turquoise field of light.

"I wish you the best of luck on your trial," Pandra said.

"We'll do our best!" Sawyer declared.


	30. Trial and Error

After putting their masks on, Sawyer and Sceptile entered the cave, ready to take on the trial. In front of the duo was a silver-colored trigger plate, followed by a series of floor panels which were connected to an automatic door that would lead to the next chamber. "Alright, Sceptile. You ready?"

"_Scep,_" Sceptile nodded in reply, as it stepped toward the trigger plate. Upon stepping on the plate, its mask turned black, leaving Sceptile blindfolded. Most of the tiles in front of it then began to glow blue, with some of them remaining black, which were the tiles that Sceptile needed to avoid.

"I'll let you know where to walk, okay?" Sawyer said.

"_Tile,_" Sceptile responded, ready and raring to begin.

"Okay. Start by walking forward," Sawyer instructed, as his Sceptile began walking forward on the floor panels. "Now to the right. Forward. Two steps to the left. You're doing great."

Just as Sceptile was almost at the door, its foot touched one of the black panels, triggering an alarm that caused its mask to clear, and the panels to stop glowing.

"I'm sorry, Sceptile," Sawyer said, as his Pokemon glumly made its way back to the start. "I didn't notice that the panel was black." He took a moment to think about what he could do to prevent that from occurring the next time. While it may not have been a definite solution, an idea did come to his mind. "Let's try it again, but this time, we'll treat it like we're in a battle."

"_Tile?_" Sceptile asked, scrunching up its face in confusion.

"Since this trial is meant to test whether we can master Mega Evolution, we'll need to prove that we can battle as one by trusting each other while we do this trial," Sawyer stated. "I'll make sure I pay close attention to what's going on while you listen to my commands, just like how we would in a battle."

"_Scep!_" Sceptile nodded, ready to take on the challenge once more.

"Okay, Sceptile! Ready?" Sawyer asked as Sceptile stepped back onto the trigger plate, causing its mask to darken and the tiles to glow. "Alright. Walk one step to the left. Now keep going forward. One step to the right. Forward. To the right again. Now go left. Almost there…" After carefully following Sawyer's instructions while moving slowly across the tiled floor, it soon reached the trigger plate on the other side, which caused the mask to clear and the automatic door to the next chamber to open. "Yes!" Sawyer cheered, raising his fist in exhilaration. "I knew you could do it, Sceptile!"

"_Sceptile!_" Sawyer's Pokemon cried, equally ecstatic about their successful attempt.

The duo then made their way to the next chamber, which looked identical to the first chamber, though that did not mean it was going to be just as simple. "Here we are, Sceptile," Sawyer said, as he started to brainstorm ways he could potentially communicate with his Pokemon during the trial. "Let's see. How is this going to work…?" he murmured aloud, as he once again thought about how most Pokemon are only able to say syllables of their own name. "That's it! Sceptile, how about this? I was thinking we could use 'Sceptile', 'Scep' and 'Tile' as code words for 'stop', 'left' and 'right'."

"_Sceptile?_" Sawyer's Pokemon asked, tilted its head in confusion.

"I'll walk forward until you give me the command to stop," Sawyer stated, as he began walking in front of Sceptile in order to show it what he meant. "If you say 'Sceptile', I'll stop, if you say 'Scep', I'll move to the left, and if you say 'Tile', I'll move to the right." As Sawyer spoke, he stopped walking, stepped to his left, then stepped to his right.

"_Sceptile… Scep… Tile…_" Sceptile said, mimicking Sawyer's actions.

"Just like that!" Sawyer said with a confident smile. "Want to give it a try?"

"_Scep,_" Sawyer's Pokemon replied with a nod.

"Alright!" Sawyer said as he made his way toward the trigger plate. His mask then darkened, as the panels in front of him started to glow. "Okay, Sceptile. Ready?"

"_Tile,_" Sceptile responded, as its trainer began walking across the tiled floor and Sceptile began carefully watching its trainer's movements across the tiles. As soon as it noticed its trainer heading toward one of the black tiles, quickly it gave him the command to stop. "_Sceptile. Tile… Sceptile. Scep, Scep… Sceptile._"

All seemed to be going in a good direction, until Sawyer's foot touched one of the black panels, bringing about an alarm. After his mask cleared, and the panels stopped glowing, Sawyer made his way back toward the start, and smiled at his glum, hunched-over Pokemon. "Don't worry, Sceptile," he said comfortingly. "This is new for both of us. I'll go slower next time, okay?"

"_Tile,_" Sceptile responded, feeling ready to take on the challenge once more.

"Let's try one more time," Sawyer declared, as he made his way back toward the trigger plate before his mask darkened once again. "Ready, Sceptile?"

"_Tile,_" Sceptile replied, as Sawyer began walking forward. "_Sceptile. Scep, Scep… Sceptile. Scep… Sceptile. Tile… Sceptile. Tile, Tile…_"

As Sawyer kept his pace slow, and Sceptile cautiously observed his movements, he made his way closer and closer toward the end. Within about fifteen or so seconds, Sawyer made it to the end. As his mask cleared, and the doors to the final chamber opened, a wide smile spread rapidly across his face. "Yes! Sceptile, we made it!" he shouted joyously. "We made it to the last chamber!"

"_Sceptile!_" the Grass-Type Pokemon cheered.

Both Sawyer and Sceptile raced their way toward the last chamber and found a shiny, green and orange orb sitting upon a rocky pedestal. "There it is…" Sawyer muttered, completely overcome with exhilaration and awe. What he had been looking for this whole time since he arrived in Kalos… was sitting right there on a pedestal before his eyes. "Sceptile, this is it! This is the Sceptilite! Now we'll be able to Mega Evolve, just like we've been dreaming of all this time!"

"_Tile…_" Sceptile muttered, equally as astounded as its trainer.

"Huh?" Sawyer then turned his head and noticed a large, brown case filled with several Evolutionary Stones, all with vibrant and distinct colors. He walked up toward the case and saw a deep purple stone that was sitting on the far right. "Wow! There _is _a Dusk Stone!" he exclaimed, as he reached into his pocket, pulled out his Poke Ball, and sent out his Steel and Ghost-Type Pokemon.

"_Doublade!_" the Pokemon said in a robotic voice.

"Check this out, Doublade! It's a Dusk Stone!" Sawyer stated, as he picked up the stone and held it up for his Doublade to see. "With it, you'll be able to evolve in Aegislash! Of course, the choice is completely yours. Do you feel ready, Doublade?"

"_Doub,_" Doublade nodded calmly, as it reached its cloth-like arm toward the stone. It then began to glow in a bundle of glimmering light. During its transformation, its two swords grew longer, then merged into one, and a perfectly round circle began to spread in the center. The light then vanished and revealed a Pokemon whose body was comprised of a golden sword and shield, an ominous purple eye on its hilt, and cloth-like, lavender arms crossed behind its back.

"Alright!" Sawyer cheered as he raised his first into the air. "Way to go, Aegislash!"

"_Aegis…_" Aegislash whispered, still just as composed and deadpan as always.


	31. A Stone and a Hard Place

As Sawyer and Sceptile were making their way out of the cavern, Pandra was sitting next to the cavern entrance, having just completed knitting a flowy, green scarf. "Oh, Ampharos!" she cheered. "It looks simply divine, wouldn't you agree?"

"_Palulu!_" Ampharos replied, fully agreeing with Pandra, as Sawyer and Sceptile exited the cavern.

"Why, if it isn't Sebastian?" Pandra said.

"It's Sawyer…" Sawyer replied, maintaining the pleased smile from when he had received the Sceptilite and the Dusk Stone.

"Oh. Oops…" Pandra blushed, once again letting out an awkward laugh. "Judging by the looks on your faces, I take it you have finished my trial?"

"You bet!" Sawyer stated. "We got the Sceptilite, and my Doublade evolved into Aegislash!"

"Well, that's wonderful you two," Pandra remarked. "But my trial is not complete until you show me what the two of you can do in battle. What do you two say about battling me and my Ampharos right here and now?"

"Sounds good to me!" Sawyer replied.

"Excellent," Pandra said before her eyes began to glimmer. "Ooh! I just finished knitting a scarf that I'm sure your Sceptile will adore! May I see your Sceptilite for a moment?"

"Sure," Sawyer replied, handing Pandra the green and orange orb. She then walked up toward Sawyer's Sceptile, and gently wrapped the newly-knit green scarf around its neck. She then held the orb up to the knot that held the scarf together. "Just clip the Mega Stone onto here, and… Voila!" The Sceptilite was attached to the green scarf's knot. "Now your Sceptile can Mega Evolve without having to hold the Mega Stone. Plus, it looks exquisite, does it not?"

"It does look pretty good," Sawyer remarked. "What do you think, Sceptile?"

"_Scep,_" Sceptile nodded in agreement.

"What do you say, you two?" Pandra asked. "Ready to battle?"

"You bet!" Sawyer replied confidently.

After Sawyer left his backpack near a tree, the two trainers then made their way toward a battlefield near a river, as their Pokemon faced one another with an assertive look in their eyes, ready and raring to battle. "Shall we Ampharos?" Pandra asked.

"_Palu!_" Ampharos cheered with an assured grin.

"Alright!" Pandra declared, holding up her necklace as her Key Stone began to emit several streams of dazzling, white light. "Let your wool shine brightly like the sun! And let your power become as strong as a thunderstorm! Ampharos, Mega Evolve!"

"_Paluluuuu!_" Ampharos cried, as the streams of light connected to its Mega Stone, enveloping it in an aura of purple light. As Ampharos's body glowed, wool began to sprout from both its tail and the back of its head. The wool flowed elegantly like the ocean as it grew rapidly and drastically. Once the light disappeared, Ampharos was seen once again with a much more upright and self-assured appearance.

"Oh, your wool looks as splendid as ever!" Pandra exclaimed with much delight.

"Here we go, Sceptile!" Sawyer declared, as he held up his own Key Stone, which he had attached his notebook's latch. "You ready?"

"_Sceptile,_" Sawyer's Pokemon replied, bracing itself for what was yet to come.

This was it. This was the moment Sawyer and Sceptile had been waiting for since they first arrived in Kalos: activating Mega Evolution. With a calm and collected expression, but a shaking hand, Sawyer slowly held up his notebook, as the Key Stone attached to it started to emit several streams of energy as well. The streams quickly merged with the light streams coming from Sceptile's Mega Stone, as its body began to glow in a bundle of purple light. "Mega Evolve!" Sawyer shouted.

"_Tiiiiiiiiile!_" Sceptile growled, experiencing an odd and somewhat irritating sensation as its leaves and crests grew sharper, and developed a crescent-shaped hole in the middle. Four more seeds began to sprout on its tail, as it grew a pointier stinger at the tip of it. Once the light disintegrated, Sawyer's Sceptile could be seen once again with a sharper and sleeker appearance. Both it and its trainer felt ready to battle!

"Alright, Mega Sceptile! Use Leaf Blade!" Sawyer commanded.

"Cotton Guard, please," Pandra ordered.

"_Palu!_" Ampharos cried, enveloping its body in puffs of cotton. The cotton puffs soon disappeared, as it glowed in an aura of turquoise energy.

"_Sceptile!_" Sceptile roared, slashing its opponent with its glowing leaves, before getting bounced back seconds later.

"You see, when Ampharos Mega Evolves, it becomes part Dragon-Type," Pandra stated. "Grass-Type moves won't have much effect."

"Then how about this? Use Dragon Claw!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Tiiiile!_" Sceptile shouted, surrounding its sharp claws in a green, claw-shaped energy field, before dashing in toward its opponent. The Grass and Dragon-Type Pokemon managed to deal multiple hits, all of which Mega Ampharos defended with ease.

"Wow, Ampharos is tough!" Sawyer remarked, tightening his fists in apprehension.

"Now darling, Dragon Pulse!" Pandra commanded.

"_Loooooooo!_" Ampharos squealed, summoning an orb of dazzling, multi-colored energy before launching a mighty beam of dragon-shaped energy at its opponent, striking it with a direct hit.

"Sceptile! Are you okay?" Sawyer asked, as his Pokemon struggled to get up onto its feet. Sensing its trainer's nervousness, its leaves and crests began to mildly sting, though it was not enough to keep Sceptile from standing back up. "Alright! Use Leaf Storm!" Sawyer called.

"_Scep…_" Sceptile whispered, positioning its tail toward Ampharos, preparing to fire a tornado of leaves. As Sceptile launched the tornado, however, the stinger of its tail went along with it! "_Tiiiiiiiile!_" shocked by the gut-wrenching pain, Sceptile let out a shrilling holler of agony, which immediately drew its trainer's attention away from the battle.

"Sceptile!" Sawyer yelped, rushing toward his Pokemon as its body began to glow in a multi-colored aura, allowing it to revert back into its original form.

"_Scep… Scep…_" Sceptile panted, trying to recover from that horrific shock. Even though the pain was gone, it could still mentally sense how it felt when its stringer was separated from its tail. It was nothing short of excruciating.

"I see…" Pandra muttered. "I declare this battle over!"

"Sceptile! I'm here! Are you okay?" Sawyer exclaimed, helping his Pokemon sit upward. His heart was racing like a speeding train to the point where he almost felt faint. Sawyer had never seen any Pokemon suffer that much before, let alone his own Pokemon.

"_Tile…_" Sceptile muttered, beginning to calm down upon seeing its trainer's concerned eyes.

Sawyer let out a heavy, but relieved sigh. "That's a relief…" he said under his breath, before looking up toward Pandra, still baffled by what had just happened. "Do you know what was going on, Pandra? Using attacks has never been a problem for Sceptile. Do you know if this has something to do with Mega Evolution?"

"I'm afraid it does," Pandra muttered, with a much more serious-sounding tone than usual. "You see, Mega Evolution takes time for nearly every Pokemon to get used to. But some Pokemon will struggle with the beginning process more than others, and it seems that your Sceptile is one of those Pokemon."

Sawyer gasped, before staring at the ground in complete shock. "I knew Mega Evolution was hard to master, but... I had no idea it could hurt the Pokemon…" As he spoke, he contemplated on how he had spent the last year and a half, which was a good portion of his life, looking at Mega Evolution as an exciting and positive thing. How could it have ended up being so harmful instead? It was an incredibly rude awakening for both Sawyer and Sceptile, who had dreamt of someday mastering Mega Evolution up until this point.

"That is the very reason why not many trainers throughout Kalos have a Pokemon that can Mega Evolve," Pandra stated. "That being said, some trainers are able to remove the side effects of Mega Evolution by earning their Pokemon's complete trust."

Sawyer took out his notebook and jotted down everything Pandra told him, up until she had reached the part about earning a Pokemon's trust. To this, Sawyer scrunched up his face in shock and confusion. "But Sceptile and I do trust each other," he remarked. "We completed the trial in only two tries, and we've won lots of tough battles together."

"Battling while under normal circumstances is one thing," Pandra explained. "Battling while your Pokemon is in a Mega Evolved state is another. I am certain you and your Sceptile have a strong bond, believe me. But if you go into the battle feeling nervous or unsure, Sceptile will pick up on that and begin to feel the side effects. But if you can show Sceptile that you will remain by its side till the end and that you have its best interest at heart, then the two of you will be able to master Mega Evolution once and for all."

"_Palulu,_" Ampharos added, nodding its head.

"I see…" Sawyer mumbled, before looking toward his Pokemon. "What do you say, Sceptile? Would you like to give it another try?"

"_Sceptile! Sceptile!_" Sawyer's Pokemon cried, vigorously shaking its head.

"I know," Sawyer responded, sensing his Pokemon's hesitance and fear. "That must have really hard for you." Sawyer then turned toward Pandra, hoping she might have an answer. "Is there a way we can work toward getting rid of the side effects without having to Mega Evolve until we know they're gone?"

"I'm afraid not," Pandra replied. "You won't be able to know for sure unless you try it."

"But that's what I'm worried about," Sawyer remarked. "Mega Evolution's been a dream of ours for a long time, but… the more times we try to Mega Evolve before we're ready, the more pain Sceptile will end up going through. I don't want to put Sceptile through this much pain just so we can Mega Evolve... What do you think, Pandra? Do you think we should continue working toward mastering Mega Evolution, or do you think this might be too much for Sceptile?"

"That will be up for you to decide, Sander," Pandra replied.

In the low-spirited state that he was in, Sawyer did not have the energy to correct Pandra's mispronunciation. Instead, he simply responded with a sigh. "I'll think about it…" he murmured.

"Why don't I leave you two alone?" Pandra said, as she and her Ampharos made their way back to the cave, leaving Sawyer and Sceptile by themselves to talk things over.

"_Sceptile…?_" Sceptile muttered, apprehensively tightening up its muscles.

"It's okay Sceptile…" Sawyer stated, glumly closing his eyes. "We don't have to work on mastering Mega Evolution if you don't want to…"

"_Sceptile, Scep!_" Sceptile responded, shaking its head.

"Are you saying you want to keep working on it?" Sawyer asked.

"_Scep? Tile…_" Sceptile replied, equally conflicted as its trainer.

"I know Mega Evolution has been a dream of ours for a long time, so I don't want to give up on it too quickly," Sawyer remarked. "But I also don't want to risk putting you through even more pain just so that we can reach that goal. The last thing I want is for you to have to suffer because of me... I just wish there was a way we could get rid of the side effects without having to go through them again."

"_Sceptile,_" Sceptile murmured in agreement. It had no idea what the best choice was, seeing that either one of those options had the potential of becoming a decision that they would end up regretting for the rest of their lives. It felt as though their entire future rested upon this decision.

Sawyer, thinking the same thing as his Sceptile, let out another sigh. "I guess the best thing we can do is sleep on it…" he muttered. As soon as he said this, Sawyer was reminded of how early he had woken up that morning and could not fall back asleep. Upon realizing this, he suddenly began to feel significantly drowsier. He was still in no condition to sleep however knowing that his friendship with Sceptile could potentially be threatened as a result of Mega Evolution.

Sceptile, recognizing its trainer's uneasiness, comfortingly wrapped its arm around him and smiled. "_Sceptile,_" it nodded reassuringly.

Sawyer smiled back at his Pokemon as his eyes began to droop. "Thanks, Sceptile…" he mumbled.

"_Tile…_" Sceptile whispered as it gazed up toward the night sky. It thought back to numerous moments it and Sawyer had shared together throughout their adventure. Everything from meeting him at Professor Birch's lab to the various battles they had won together, particularly the won they planned out against the wild Taillow, it all reminded Sceptile of just how much Sawyer meant to him. It had complete faith that after a good night's rest, whatever decision that it and Sawyer would decide to make would feel right for them. Just when it decided to tell Sawyer this, Sceptile started to hear the faint sound of snoring. It looked over to its right and saw that its trainer was already out like a light, resting his tired head upon its shoulder. Although Sceptile would have preferred to spend the night inside its Poke Ball, it did not have the heart to wake Sawyer up from such a peaceful-looking sleep, especially after the rough night he had and how stressed he had been just a minute ago.

Sceptile held Sawyer gently by his shoulder and legs, then slowly lifted him off the ground. As it carried its trainer securely in its arms, Sceptile slowly made its way toward the tree where Sawyer had left his backpack. Even though its footsteps were not particularly quiet, Sawyer still remained fast asleep, much to Sceptile's relief. Once it made it to the tree, Sceptile cautiously laid Sawyer down underneath it, where he continued dozing peacefully and soundly. Sceptile then tip-toed toward Sawyer's backpack and unzipped it as quietly as it could. It quickly found Sawyer's red sleeping bag, which it gently placed upon its trainer, giving him a kind-hearted smile. Sceptile turned around, about to go to sleep as well, though starting to worry again about how the next day will turn out.

"Sceptile…?" Sawyer mumbled, as the Grass-Type Pokemon briskly spun around, thinking that it had awoken its trainer. It quickly found out however that he was still asleep, just talking in his dreams. "It's okay… I'm here for you…" he continued.

Although Sceptile knew that Sawyer was dreaming, it felt touched by its trainer's comforting words. Hearing this from its trainer provided Sceptile with the same sense of comfort and sleepiness that Sawyer felt after Sceptile reassured it that it would remain by his side. After giving its sleeping trainer another smile, it then laid down beside Sawyer and drifted off to sleep as well.


	32. A Bond Carved in Stone

That morning, after waking up from a peaceful and sound slumber, Sawyer saw his Pokemon laying down next to him and smiled. It meant a lot to Sawyer knowing that his Sceptile cared enough to put him in a comfortable place to sleep, rather than waking him up and asking to be sent back to its Poke Ball. Thanks to Sceptile, he felt much more awake and able to make a wise decision in regard to their problem with Mega Evolution.

Sawyer thought back to the talk that he had with Pandra regarding Mega Evolution's side effects. He recalled how Mega Evolution took time for nearly every Pokemon to get used to, and that trainers could remove the side effects by earning the Pokemon's complete trust. He knew that both Pandra and Steven were greatly skilled trainers, as well as experts on Mega Evolution. If both of them believed that Sawyer and Sceptile had what it took to master the skill, then it was clear that it was not time to give up just yet. Though they were aware of the risks, they were also aware that if they were to give up so soon, they would be left wondering if they could have mastered Mega Evolution. All they needed to do was to go into the battle in a confident headspace, know that the two of them had each other's backs no matter what, and see where things went from there. As long as Sceptile was on board, Sawyer was as well. Later that morning, Sawyer and Sceptile decided to challenge Pandra and her Ampharos to another battle.

"Oh, so you wish to challenge me and my Ampharos again?" Pandra asked.

Sawyer nodded in reply. "Sceptile and I may have been on the fence about it at first, but if staying confident and trusting each other is the key to mastering Mega Evolution, then that's what we'll do!"

"_Scep,_" Sceptile said, nodding its head with a determined grin.

"Well, if that's how the two of you feel, then I will gladly accept your challenge!" Pandra declared. "Ready, Ampharos?"

"_Palu!_" Ampharos replied assertively.

Feeling equally as raring to battle as her Ampharos, Pandra held up the Key Stone attached to her necklace, as it started to emit multiple streams of dazzling light. "Let your wool shine brightly like the sun! And let your power become as strong as a thunderstorm!" Pandra shouted. "Ampharos, Mega Evolve!"

"_Paluluuuu!_" Ampharos cried as it became surrounded in a purple aura. As it began to stand taller and more elegantly, wool began to sprout from the back of its head and the tip of its tail. Once the glistening light disappeared, Mega Ampharos faced its opponent, ready to battle.

"I know we can do it, Sceptile," Sawyer stated, holding his notebook and Key Stone firmly in his hand. "Remember, no matter what happens, I believe in you!"

"_Tile!_" Sceptile replied, fully prepared to take on the challenge once more.

"Here we go, Sceptile! Mega Evolve!" Sawyer shouted, as his Key Stone also began to emit several streams of light, which made their way toward Sceptile's Mega Stone.

"_Tiiiiiile!_" Sceptile roared, as its body glowed in an aura of purple energy. This time, as Sceptile underwent the transformation, it did not experience any discomfort. Upon emerging from the bundle of light, it felt completely ready to battle, knowing that its trainer would be there for it no matter what.

"Now, Mega Sceptile! Use Dragon Claw!" Sawyer ordered.

"Cotton Guard, please," Pandra instructed.

"_Scep…_" Sceptile whispered, surrounding its sharpened claws in an aura of claw-shaped, green energy. "_Tile!_" It then launched itself toward its opponent, who protected itself behind a barrier of cotton puffs.

"Now, darling. Use Power Gem!" Pandra commanded.

"Frenzy Plant! Go!" Sawyer called.

"_Tiiiiile!_" Sceptile hollered, slamming its claws onto the ground and summoning a cluster of giant, brown vines. The vines swiftly made their way toward Ampharos' beam of red light, resulting in a mighty collision.

"Sceptile can use Frenzy Plant?" Pandra asked in shock, aware that it took a very strong bond between trainer and Pokemon to be able to use a move like that. "When you said that you and Sceptile had a strong bond, you weren't kidding! Alright then, Power Gem once more!"

"_Palu!_" Ampharos squealed, releasing another beam of red light from the orb on its forehead.

"Dodge, then Dragon Claw!" Sawyer ordered.

Upon its trainer's command, Sceptile leaped high into the air with its glowing green claw, evading Ampharos' attack. "_Sceptile!_" it roared, as it dove in toward Ampharos and struck it with a potent slash.

"Dragon Pulse, now!" Pandra instructed.

"Use Leaf Storm!" Sawyer commanded.

"_Looooo!_" Ampharos cried as it launched a beam of multi-colored, dragon-shaped energy toward Sceptile. The beam was soon intercepted with a tornado of leaves surrounding the Pokemon's severed tail stinger. Unlike the last time, however, Sceptile did not experience any pain and felt completely fine both during and after the Leaf Storm attack.

"Good heavens!" Pandra exclaimed. "That Leaf Storm was done perfectly! How did the two of you pull it off so well?"

"We waited until the right moment when both of us were feeling completely in sync," Sawyer replied. "That was when we knew for sure that the attack would work."

"I see. Quite impressive, I must say," Pandra stated.

"Thanks!" Sawyer replied. "Now, Sceptile! Use Dragon Claw!"

"_Tile!_" Sceptile growled, zipping its way toward Ampharos at the speed of a jet plane.

"Cotton Guard, now!" Pandra ordered.

"_Palu!_" Ampharos replied, surrounding itself in a light blue aura just as Sceptile came in for the attack. "_Luuuuuuuuu!_" it cried, enduring Sceptile's might slash before falling backward and landing on the ground with a loud thud.

"Ampharos, dear!" Pandra cried, as her Ampharos reverted back to its original form in a bundle of brilliant light, whilst laying unconscious on the battlefield.

"Alright!" Sawyer cheered, raising his fist into the air. "We did it, Sceptile! We really won!"

"_Sceptile!_" Sawyer's Pokemon cried joyously.

"You were wonderful, Ampharos dear. Take a nice rest." Pandra said, calling her tired Pokemon back into its Poke Ball, before looking toward Sawyer and Sceptile. "It seems to me like the two of you have mastered the art of Mega Evolution."

"You really think so?" Sawyer asked.

"Why yes," Pandra replied. "The two of you were battling in perfect sync. I've never seen a trainer make that big of a jump in such a short amount of time. I have complete confidence that the two of you will do splendidly in the Kalos League."

"Thank you so much!" Sawyer cheered. After everything that had happened, the two of them finally managed to master the skill that they had been dreaming of since the start of their journey. Having overcome a challenge like this, Sawyer felt assured that he and Sceptile would be able to beat his idol at the Kalos League once and for all. "What do you say, Sceptile? Ready for the Kalos League?"

"_Tile!_" Sceptile replied with a self-assured nod.

"By the way, you may have noticed that Ampharos and I did not use any Electric-Type attacks during our battle," Pandra remarked. "You see, the reason for that is because Mega Sceptile's special ability is Lightning Rod. Not only can Lightning Rod neutralize any Electric-Type attacks, but it will also increase the power of Sceptile's special attacks. I'm sure it will come in handy during the Kalos League."

"Wow, Mega Sceptile has Lightning Rod?" Sawyer asked. "I had no idea! I'll make a note of that!"

"Well then, I wish you the best of luck, Tom," Pandra said.

While Sawyer may not have had any idea where the name "Tom" came from, he was in too good of a mood to correct Pandra. Now that he and Sceptile mastered Mega Evolution, there were only two things left for Sawyer to do: head to Lumiose City, site of the Kalos League, and train with his Pokemon in preparation for the event.

Sawyer spent the next several days traveling across Derniere and Detourner Way, where he got to battle against multiple trainers before the League. He then arrived in Santalune City, which was one city away from his destination: Lumiose City. Between these two familiar cities was a floral route called Parterre Way, which Sawyer never got the chance to travel through before, at least on foot while he was awake. While it was a bit saddening knowing that this would be the last route he would travel across before the end of his Kalos journey, the good thing was that there was still a lot waiting for him at his destination.

After arriving in Lumiose City and registering for the Kalos League, Sawyer stood in the dining area near the stadium, waiting for the match-ups to be announced. Looking around, Sawyer saw a massive crowd of trainers, all who had won eight badges and had come a long way since the beginning of their journeys. Before meeting Ash, Sawyer had never thought that he would be standing with these trainers only four months after he had started his journey. The motivation he received from Ash had taken him a long way, and he felt sure that a trainer as inspirational as him would be able to overcome the challenge he faced in Snowbelle and make it to this event as well. Sure enough, he managed to spot Ash standing with Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena at the other end of the dining area. Seeing that his idol was in this tournament, Sawyer knew he would need to work extra hard to advance from one round to the next so that he could finally show the real Ash just how much stronger he had grown, and rise to the next level upon defeating him.

And of course, since Ash is here, that means that a large chunk of what happens over the next several days in the story will be shown on screen. I'll go easy on you Lazy Larrys this time, since not much happens directly to Sawyer in episode 32: _A League of His Own,_ the first episode of the Kalos League. Feel free to watch the episode if you wish or move on to the next chapter. But I'm warning you. If you Lazy Larrys think you can get the full experience by sticking to your lazy ways and not watching TV like everyone else, you've got another thing coming.


	33. Dancing Team

One round had passed since the Kalos League had gotten underway. During the second battle of the first round, Sawyer finally got to witness Ash and Greninja battling at their best. He even got to see their complete transformation into Ash-Greninja, proving to Sawyer that the real Ash was back once and for all. Eleven matches later, Sawyer and his team of Clawitzer, Aegislash and Slaking managed to win their first-round battle as well, thanks to their determination to battle and even the score with Ash later on in the tournament. With round one behind him, Sawyer was now battling against his round two opponent.

"Now, Espeon! Psybeam!" the trainer commanded.

"Salamence! Dodge it and use Dragon Rush!" Sawyer instructed.

"_Espeoooooooon!_" the sleek, purple feline Pokemon cried, firing a beam of multi-colored energy from the red orb on its forehead. Sawyer's Dragon-Type Pokemon managed to wing its way around the attack with ease, surrounding itself in a bright blue aura and charging in toward its opponent. The mighty impact created an explosion which sent Espeon flying several feet backward.

"No! Espeon!" the trainer shouted.

"Espeon is unable to battle!" the referee stated. "Salamence wins! Which means the match goes to Sawyer!"

"Aaaand there you have it!" the Kalos League announcer hollered. His greatly enthused, booming voice made him sound as if he had just won the lottery. "After a _ferocious_, head-to-head battle between Espeon and Salamence, Sawyer comes out on top with an _astonishing _victory!"

"Yes!" Sawyer cheered. "Awesome job, Sala- Aah!" Before Sawyer could celebrate, his Salamence once again swooped down toward him, knocked him over like a domino and pinned him down. While Salamence may have gotten a lot stronger after evolving from Shelgon, some things never changed.

"And now for our next battle of the second round!" the announcer proclaimed. "Please welcome our two competing trainers, Ash and Ed!"

"_Boh…_" Salamence grumbled, expressing a look of jealously upon hearing Ash's name.

"So, Ash is up next, huh?" Sawyer said, knowing he needed to leave the stage so that he could let the next group of trainers' battle. Being in the pinned down state that he was in, however, that was easier said than done. Slowly but surely, he managed to reach into his shorts pocket, and pull out Salamence's Poke Ball. "Alright, Salamence. Take a nice rest," he said, aiming the red beam from the Poke Ball toward his Pokemon.

"_Boh?_" Salamence responded in shock, wishing that it did not have to be sent back inside so soon. "_Boh…_" After letting out another grumble, it then vanished in a flash of red light.

That evening, after the second round had come to pass, Sawyer went back to his dorm to review the notes he took while watching the other League matches. He spent about ten minutes sitting on his bed, looking over the notes he took on each individual trainer who advanced to the third round. Beside each of their names, he wrote down what kind of strategies they used, and how he might be able to counter them. Once it had reached seven-o-clock, Sawyer turned on the small television that sat on the side of his desk, which was showcasing the daily Kalos League broadcast. On the screen was the official Kalos League logo, which was a Poke Ball centered in a blue shield with eight yellow stars shooting out of it.

"Kalos League Battle Heat!" three voices shouted in a somewhat enthused tone. They sounded as if they had been saying that phrase all day and were beginning to grow tired of it.

"Malva here," the pink-haired newswoman said. "Reporting live. The second round of the Kalos League has now come to pass, and we've gotten to see quite a lot of battle action from each of our competing trainers. We've seen Ash's mysterious Greninja battling bravely against some formidable opponents, and we've also seen several trainers taking down all three of their opponents' Pokemon by using only their Mega Evolved partners. Trainers such as Alain, Remo and Astrid and their Mega Charizard, Garchomp and Absol respectively, all continue to amaze each and every one of us through every battle they participate in. I am sure that we will continue to see plenty of battle action between each of our quarter-finalists tomorrow."

Sawyer had remembered watching those Mega Evolved Pokemon battling in the first and second round. Their attacks and strategies were so unpredictable however that he could not figure out how he was going to counter them. Seeing that they were considered to be the highlight of the League, Sawyer knew he would need to be careful if he got matched up against any of those trainers. This was what made him to decide to go to the PC room in the building beside the stadium so that he could look back on their battles and try to figure out what would be the best way to counter their battling styles.

Within a secluded section of the computer area, Sawyer reviewed various clips of the battles that the Mega Evolved Pokemon participated in. After carefully observing how each of them battled, he brainstormed ways he could potentially stop them in their tracks. Not long afterward, he saw an image of a Pokemon landing a successful Bounce attack on its opponent while striking a pose. He clicked on the image, and the video showed a Politoed, a green, reptilian Pokemon with a yellow spiral on its stomach, and a cheerful look in its large, round eyes. Behind the Politoed was a trainer who wore a black tee-shirt and yellow cargo shorts. As he lifted his knee upward and pointed toward the sky, his Politoed did the exact same action in perfect unison with its trainer. The Pokemon then leaped upward and started spinning rapidly as it made its way toward its bewildered opponent. Flygon, Politoed's opponent, endured a powerful kick from Politoed on the top of its head. After it performed a backflip, Politoed surrounded its fist in a frigid, light blue aura before it delivered a mighty punch, sending Flygon plummeting backward.

"Flygon is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Politoed wins! Which means Tierno wins the match!"

"And Tierno takes the win once again with his _remarkable _dance techniques!" the announcer yelled with much enthusiasm. "Can _anyone _overcome the stupendous power of this dancing _master_?"

"I see…" Sawyer muttered, writing down what he had just seen in his notebook. While he had seen Tierno battling in the previous rounds, he did not recall seeing how he and his Pokemon managed to pull off their attacks so smoothly. "Tierno uses rhythm to battle as one with his Pokemon and move around the battlefield while attacking. We'll need to be careful if we go up against him as well."

Once seven-thirty arrived, each of the trainers gathered up at the dining area, where the announcer was soon to show the match-ups for the quarter-finals. "Folks, we have reached the end of our exciting second round!" the announcer stated. "So, now it is time to announce who will be facing who in the quarter-finals! Now! Here are the match-ups for round three!"

Upon the holographic monitor was a series of cards showcasing the faces of each of the eight remaining Kalos League participants. The cards then flipped over and scrambled across the screen. A few seconds later, after the cards arranged themselves in an orderly fashion, they flipped over once again, revealing each of the third-round match-ups. Sawyer gulped upon finding his card right beside Tierno's!

"I wish all of you quarter-finalists the best of luck in your battles tomorrow!" the announcer exclaimed, seeming to be even more thrilled about the upcoming round than the participants themselves. "Be sure to get a good night's rest, 'cause tomorrow's gonna be an _extraordinary_ day of fierce battle action!"

"I'm up against Tierno…" Sawyer muttered, nervously tightening his fists. "This could be tough…" At that moment, he remembered what Ash had told him back in Snowbelle, when he said that the two of them would even the score at the Kalos League. _I'll need to beat him if I want to battle against Ash… _Sawyer thought. _I want to beat Ash while he's at his best, so I can prove to myself that I have advanced to the next level. And if stopping Tierno's rhythm is what I need to do to get there, then that's what I'll do!_

And of course, you guessed it, the quarter-final battle will be taking place on screen. You know what to do, readers. Grab your electronic devices and track down episode 33 of _Pokemon the Series: XYZ_, _Valuable Experience for All!_ This is something you will _not_ want to miss out on. That goes for you too, Lazy Larrys.


	34. Forgive Me, Lazy Larrys

Have you watched the episode? Well… either way, you are here to see what happens next, so I guess I will move on.

During the evening following Sawyer's battle with Tierno, Sawyer once again watched the daily Kalos League broadcast on the small TV in his dorm. "Kalos League Battle Heat," the three voices in the background said with minimal enthusiasm, sounding as though they just wanted to get the broadcast over with.

"Malva here. Reporting live," the newswoman announced. "We have now reached the semi-final round of the Kalos League Lumiose Conference. And to give you glimpse of what is yet to come, here are some of the highlights of today's quarter-final round. First up, he had Alain once again defeating his opponent with just his Mega Charizard, and Ash's Hawlucha taking down Astrid's Mega Absol! Next, we had Remo taking down each of his opponent's Pokemon with only his Mega Garchomp. Lastly, we had a heated battle between Tierno's formidable team of dancing Pokemon, and Sawyer with his team of well-trained and powerful Pokemon, one of whom was a Mega Sceptile! Thanks to his clever tactics, Sawyer managed to eliminate Tierno from the tournament and advance to the next round, where he will be facing Ash, a trainer who possesses a curious power that lies within him and his Greninja. But before that, we will be witnessing what is sure to be a heated match between Alain and Remo. I can't wait to see what lies in store for these four gifted trainers, and I'm sure all of you watching are filled with just as much excitement as I am."

Once the broadcast was over, Sawyer sat on the chair next to his desk and gazed out the window in front of him, which showed the top portion of the stadium. Sawyer had worked so hard toward keeping his promise to battle Ash in the Kalos League, and now that goal had finally become reality. Just the thought of him battling against Ash on the big stage made his heart race like a go-kart. His muscles were jittery, and his mind was flooded with thoughts about his upcoming battle. At this rate, he felt as though his exhilaration would keep him awake the entire night before his battle. He was well aware this was likely the worst possible time in his life for him to not sleep, so he decided to clear his mind by taking a walk outside the Kalos League facilities.

After making his way up the mountain above the facilities, Sawyer fixed his eyes on the stadium and the sunset. After gazing at the arena where his ultimate match against his rival and role model was soon to take place, Sawyer took out his notebook and began thinking back to the numerous events that led him to where he was at that moment.

He started by thinking back to the day he met Treecko back at Professor Birch's lab. The moment he and Treecko agreed to go on this journey together, Sawyer knew that they would do whatever they could to achieve their dream of reaching Steven Stone's level. The battles they had in the beginning might have been difficult, but with the help of his notebook, they managed to pull through, even when they battled that particularly strong wild Taillow. He could distinctly recall that sense of accomplishment when Steven told him that he and Treecko may have had what it took to master Mega Evolution. This was what led to him and Treecko traveling to Kalos, so that they could do just that. After each Gym Battle they had, Sawyer gained more and more of the experience he needed to reach Steven's level. Even his loss against Clemont felt like a defining moment for him, as it helped him learn what he needed to do to become a stronger trainer. Thanks to that experience, Sawyer managed to win his very first badge at Bernice's Gym.

The day Sawyer watched Ash's battle against Valerie however was when things really spun around. He had never felt more inspired in his life after getting a glimpse of Ash's unique battling style. His motivation to catch up to him, as well as everything that Ash taught him during those three days, was what allowed Sawyer to grow into the trainer he was. The advice Ash had given him also allowed Sawyer to beat Viola, in spite of all the craziness that occurred at around that same time. The same went for each of his other Gym Battles, but his battle against Marino felt particularly memorable, although that was partially because of Marino's memorable personality. His battle against Ramos felt memorable as well, due to how close it was and how much he had learned throughout. Not to mention the location of the Gym, which was a massive tree that was right next to a large city with a monorail. While obtaining his fifth badge may have required him to travel a longer way, it was well worth the wait once he got to battle with his Honedge for the first time and beat Soraya in spite of her greatly unpredictable battling style.

Upon seeing Ash's badge collection shortly after that battle, Sawyer was reminded once again that he needed to work as hard as he could to reach his new goal of catching up to Ash. This was what allowed him to successfully beat Olympia and her powerful team of Meowstic, as well as Valerie, the trainer who Ash had defeated back when they first met. At this point, he felt as though he had reached Ash's level, though that was quickly proven wrong during their second battle. The loss did not greatly upset Sawyer, however, as it had given him the motivation to train as hard as he could before his Gym Battle against Wulfric. This was what led to his greatly satisfying win against Wulfric and his Mega Abomasnow.

All this experience, and all the growing he had done as a trainer, soon allowed Sawyer to finally beat his role model in a battle. At least, that was what he thought at first. Having witnessed Ash's crushing loss at the hands of Wulfric, Sawyer knew that the Ash he had beaten was not the Ash he had saw beat Valerie in Laverre City. This did not, however, stop him from continuing to pursue his goal: defeating Ash. The real Ash. This renewed determination was what allowed him to both obtain the Sceptilite and overcome the difficult task of mastering Mega Evolution. A few days later, the time had finally come for him to put his skills as a trainer to the test. As evidenced by his winning streak in the League, it was clear that Sawyer's training paid off, especially when he managed to beat Tierno.

Thanks to all those months of training and battling, Sawyer had now done what had seemed impossible at the beginning of his journey: earning a place in the semi-final round. Now that he had made this far, and now that he was about to battle Ash at his best, Sawyer knew that if he were to win, he would finally rise to the next level. Everything that he had achieved since the moment he parted ways with Ash in Laverre City led up to his upcoming battle. He knew he had to give it his all and win, no matter what. _I feel ready…_ he thought to himself. _I _know_ I'm ready… After all the battles I have been in… And after all the experience I have gained… I _know_ I'll beat Ash for sure!_

Now, I know what you Lazy Larrys are thinking right now. I know that Sawyer's battle against Ash is likely the most important battle of his life, so it is only natural for me to show you guys what happened during that battle. I won't. I am loyal to the vow I made before writing this book that I would not be including any dialogue from the series, and if I were to show any part of Sawyer and Ash's League battle, I would be completely betraying that vow. I am sorry, Lazy Larrys, but unless you are willing to put aside your lazy ways for just one hour, you will not be getting an epic battle between Sawyer and Ash. I'm afraid that is just how it has to be. Those of you non-Lazy Larrys, on the other hand, can feel free to watch episodes 34 and 35_: Analysis Versus Passion!_ and _A Riveting Rivarly!_ I guarantee you will not want to miss a single moment of this battle. Trust me.


	35. Watch It and Weep

Just as Sawyer had expected, his Kalos League battle against Ash was nothing short of exhilarating and rewarding. He got to see his role model truly battling at his best, though Sawyer still managed to throw Ash off guard several times throughout their battle with various tactics he planned out ahead of time. Unfortunately, all that commitment and growth was not enough to beat Ash. Even so, Sawyer did not seem to be too bothered by this, at least to the people around him. Even he did not feel particularly bothered. So much happened during that invigorating battle that took him by surprise, so his mind was still in the midst of processing all that had happened. Even though he did greatly appreciate how valuable and fun the experience was, he still felt a lingering sense of disappointment that, while small, would just not go away. The longer he waited for it to go away, the more intense it seemed. In spite of that, Sawyer felt confident that over time, that lingering sense of sadness and disappointment would fade.

One night had passed, and Sawyer did not feel much different than how he felt right after his loss. If anything, he felt worse. He knew that it was not usually like him to be this upset after a loss, and he wanted to be happy for his friend. This led to him deciding to take a walk around the Kalos League facilities along with Sceptile. As he and Sceptile passed by the Kalos League stadium, all of the screens surrounding the stadium had suddenly turned on. Malva's Kalos League broadcast was on.

"Kalos League Battle Heat…" the three crew members murmured, sounding as though they were about to fall asleep from boredom.

"Malva here!" the newswoman said. "Reporting live. We've now reached the final round of the Kalos League Lumiose Conference, and I am sure that our two finalists are thrilled about their upcoming battle tomorrow. But first, why don't we look at some of the highlights of yesterday's semi-final matches? First up, we had Alain and his Mega Charizard battling fiercely against Remo and his Mega Garchomp. After a formidable match between these two gifted trainers, Alain emerged victorious. Next up, we had Ash and Sawyer battling head to head with their team of highly-trained Pokemon. Both sides pulled off brilliant strategies to shut down their opponent, which even resulted in two consecutive double knockouts. And after a fierce battle between Ash's Greninja and Sawyer's Mega Sceptile, Ash was declared the winner of the match, putting an end to Sawyer's Kalos League challenge."

It was at that moment Sawyer's loss had finally sunken in. That was it. All that training and all those months of traveling from Gym to Gym… only led to him getting defeated by the very trainer who he spent so much time trying to beat. And now, because of that loss, Sawyer's Kalos journey was over. At first, it had seemed as if the loss did not bother him that much simply because it was not that impactful, when in reality, the loss was so impactful that it was all too much for his mind to process... until now._ It's really over for me…_ Sawyer thought to himself, tuning out the rest of the broadcast as his eyes began to fill with tears. Knowing his Kalos League challenge was over made him feel even worse than when he had nearly lost his prized notebook back in Laverre. It had all come so suddenly as well…

"Sawyer!" a voice called from afar.

"Huh?" Sawyer muttered, briskly holding back his tears and turning around, discovering that the voice was coming from Serena. Behind her were Clemont and Bonnie. "Hey, it's you guys!" he said with a somewhat forced smile.

"That was a great battle you and Ash had yesterday," Clemont remarked.

"Yeah!" Bonnie cheered. "It was one of the most exciting battles I have ever seen!"

"_Dedenne!_" the little brown Pokemon on her head chirped.

"Thanks…" Sawyer mumbled, desperately trying to hold back any sign of frustration or sadness. He knew that he was going to break down if he spent another second thinking about his match against Ash. Hoping to change the subject, he quickly said the first thing that had come to his mind. "So how have your Pokemon Showcases been going, Serena?"

"They've been going great," Serena replied. "I've won all three Princess Keys and got first place in the Master Class. Although, I didn't manage to beat Kalos Queen Aria…"

"Oh! Show Sawyer the routine that Braixen and Pancham have been working on!" Bonnie said.

"Oh yeah," Serena responded, turning toward Sawyer. "Would you like to see the new technique we've been practicing?"

"Sure," Sawyer replied.

"Alright. Braixen, Pancham, let's go!" Serena shouted, throwing her two Poke Balls up into the air. Appearing from the first Poke Ball was a bipedal, mammalian Pokemon with a dress-like torso of yellow fur. It had red fur sprouting from its large ears and a wooden stick in its hand with a red ribbon wrapped around it. Standing beside it was another bipedal, mammalian Pokemon with a teal face and tail, a grey body and ears, and a pair of sunglasses on the top of its head. Sawyer, Sceptile, Bonnie, and Clemont then sat down near a tree to observe the performance routine. "Now, Pancham! Use Stone Edge!"

"_Paaaan!_" Pancham roared, rapidly spinning itself in the air before landing and summoning a series of blue pillars. "_Cham!_"

"And Braixen! Hidden Power!" Serena commanded.

"_Braaaiixen!_" Braixen cried, waving its wand and creating a cluster of blue orbs, which it then fired at Pancham. As the blue orbs came its way, Pancham effortless evaded them by leaping from pillar to pillar like a professional gymnast.

"Amazing!" Sawyer remarked.

"Now, Pancham! Dark Pulse!" Serena instructed.

"_Pancham!_" Pancham shouted, firing a powerful beam of purple energy circles toward the Hidden Powers, which caused the two attacks to explode in a flash of sparkles.

"Great work, you two!" Serena commented. "Your timing couldn't have been better!"

"_Braixen, Brai!_" Braixen cheered.

"_Cham…_" Pancham muttered with a blush on its face before it and Braixen were sent back into their Poke Balls.

"Wow, that was a great performance the three of you did!" Sawyer stated as he took out his notebook, feeling much more cheerful than he had felt just a moment ago. "The way Pancham was moving across all those pillars while dodging Braixen's Hidden Power was really well done! I'm sure those kinds of jumping skills would come in handy in a battle!"

"Pancham's been getting really good at making big leaps into the air," Serena remarked. "And Braixen's been getting a lot better at its aim. I'm sure you could apply a performance like that into a battle strategy."

As shown in the introduction of episode 36, _Kalos League Passion, With A Certain Flair!_, Sawyer spent the next several minutes with Ash and his friends, as they all feasted on a package of Lumiose Galletes that Clemont and Bonnie's dad brought for them. Getting the opportunity to snack on these rare and sugary treats boosted Sawyer's mood quite a bit. While he was in this cheerful state of mind, Sawyer used this opportunity to wish his role model the best of luck in the final round. While this action was hard for Sawyer, given that Ash was the one who had put an end to his Kalos League challenge, he managed to give his idol a genuine smile. Much to Sawyer's surprise, the action did not feel as demanding as he thought it would feel, at least… in the moment. Could the performance routine and the galettes have gotten rid of that sense of despair? Though it was still lingering a little, Sawyer once again felt confident that it would go away over time.

After saying goodbye to Ash and his friends, Sawyer and Sceptile continued walking along the Kalos League facilities. "I was thinking of heading back to the PC room," Sawyer said to his Pokemon. "I want to look back at some of the battles that have taken place here at the Kalos League to see if we can come up with a battle strategy of our own. Do you want to watch them with me?"

"_Sceptile!_" his Pokemon cheered, blissfully unaware of its trainer's lingering anguish.

"Then that's what we'll do," Sawyer stated, feeling cheerful overall, though still not feeling quite like himself. As minutes went by, Sawyer's cheerful mood slowly faded, though he tried to keep his mind off his loss, and what he had said to Ash. Sawyer did not want Sceptile to know how distraught he felt, as he knew how strongly his Pokemon picked up in his emotions. He also knew that analyzing various battling techniques was something that brought him a lot of joy. He felt sure that by focusing his mind on that, he could get himself to a more positive state of mind, for his sake and for his Pokemon's.

Unfortunately, that backfired. Exposing himself to all those unique battle tactics that the trainers used opened his eyes to how complex and deep Pokemon battles really were. With his entire mind this focused on battles, the despair that Sawyer felt as a result of his loss against Ash had completely overtaken him. Before long, he gave way to his frustration as his eyes flooded with tears, and his muscles started trembling like a leaf. He told Sceptile that his battle against Ash allowed him to gain more experience than he ever thought was possible, and that it was the most enjoyable battle that he ever had. It was also, however, his last battle at the Kalos League, meaning that his League challenge was now over. Overcome with agony and frustration, the tears in his eyes squeezed outward and streamed down his face, with several of them dropping down onto his notebook. He thought back to how he had told Ash that he would cheer for him during the final round, and how he did so with a smile. Although he intended to keep his word, that did not change the fact that he still felt greatly frustrated and envious as a result of his loss. He wanted to be a good friend to Ash, but the thought of him supporting the trainer who put an end to his Kalos journey felt almost unbearably painful. At this point, he did not feel that upset anymore about the fact that he lost to his role model. The most he wanted was just to be able to battle a little bit more at the Kalos League.

After finally letting all this out, the last bit of Sawyer's lingering sadness slowly faded away. Relieved, he closed his eyes, took in deep and calming breath… then let it out, along with all the tension in his muscles. He then wiped the tears off his face, and rose to his feet, as he declared that he knew what he needed to do: gain more experience. He knew that now was not the time to sit and cry, as he and Sceptile still had a lot waiting for them in their bright futures. Though he did not achieve his goal the first time, there was nothing stopping Sawyer from trying again the next time. Even if it would take a long time for him to finally achieve his goal, he knew that once he did, it would all be worth it. Besides, even if the experience that he had gained prior to the Kalos League did not end in victory, all that experience was still valuable and may lead him to either achieving his goal the next time or making another great achievement. He just had to wait and see what happened.

For the record, if you're wondering why I didn't describe this scene in dialogue, it is because this scene is already shown in the series. It takes place after the commercial break in the episode I had mentioned earlier, _Kalos League Passion, with a Certain Flare!_ And don't tell me that you're too lazy to watch the episodes, because clearly you have enough interest in Pokemon to read all the way up to this point in the fanfiction. Don't worry, though. I will go easy on your Lazy Larrys for the rest of the story. As you have probably guessed, the finals also take place on screen. It happens during episodes 37 and 38 of _Pokemon the Series: XYZ, Finals, Not for the Faint-Hearted!_, and _Down to the Fiery Finish!_ Again, not much happens directly to Sawyer in these episodes, so feel free to watch them if you so choose or move on to the next chapter.


	36. The Root of the Matter

Those of you who watched Down to the Fiery Finish! are probably feeling quite shocked right now. Well, that was no less true for any of the people and Pokemon who were in Lumiose while these events unfolded, including Sawyer. What am I referring to you ask? Well, it all started just as the awards ceremony had gotten underway. Everything seemed to be just fine as Sawyer, Serena, Clemont and Bonnie, as well as Ash's other friends, Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno, all gave a round of applause for the Kalos League winner, when suddenly…

_Smash!_

A series of giant, creeping red vines started breaking through the stadium walls, and crawling into the stadium from above! Nobody had any idea where these vines were coming from, nor what caused them to appear so suddenly. The entire audience, in addition to the two finalists, were still inside the arena as all this took place. Next thing Sawyer knew, Squishy was crawling out of Bonnie's bag and making its way out the arena. Bonnie immediately went after Squishy, as Serena and Clemont followed them as well.

"W-What's happening?" Trevor, a young boy with rounded, orange hair, exclaimed.

"Where are all these vines coming from?" Shauna, a pigtailed girl wearing a dark pink tee-shirt, asked.

"We need to get out of here, quick!" Sawyer stated.

"Right!" Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno said simultaneously, as they all followed Sawyer through the hallway that led to the stadium exit.

As the foursome dashed through the stadium hallway, which was also inhabited by several roots, they all heard the faint sound of Malva's voice coming from the speakers outside. She warned all the residents to stay away from Prism Tower during their evacuation, as that was where the vines were coming from. _Prism Tower…?_ Sawyer thought to himself, knowing that the name sounded familiar. _That's where Clemont's Gym is!_

Upon escaping from the arena, the four trainers quickly discovered that the vines were not just swarming around the Kalos League stadium. They were all around Lumiose City! Everywhere they looked, somebody was desperately trying to escape from the enormous, red vines that were chasing after them relentlessly.

"Man, these vines are all over the place!" Tierno shouted.

"What could be causing all of this?" Trevor asked.

As Sawyer tried to figure out what might have been going on, he suddenly remembered what Olympia had told him back at the Anistar Gym:

"What I saw… was an enormous green fire threatening to consume all of Kalos, and all the people and Pokemon within it. Many young trainers and Pokemon will play a vital role in attempting to put an end to this disaster."

"Could this be what Olympia was foreseeing…?" Sawyer mumbled to himself as he stared at the vicious-looking vines, completely stunned.

"Who's Olympia?" Shauna asked.

"She's the Gym Leader of the Anistar Gym," Sawyer replied.

"That's right!" Tierno exclaimed. "I challenged her to a Gym Battle!"

"Me too!" Trevor added. "Her apprentices said that she had the power to see into the future!"

"Wow, a Gym Leader who can see into the future?" Shauna asked. She had not been going on a Gym Battle journey like Tierno and Trevor. She was instead a Pokemon Performer like Serena. Hearing that a Gym Leader her friends challenged could see into the future took her completely by surprise.

"When I came to Olympia's Gym, she saw a vision of a green flame threatening to engulf the Kalos region!" Sawyer said. "I'm wondering if this was what Olympia was foreseeing…"

"Do you remember what else she said?" Trevor asked.

"She said something about a group of young trainers and Pokemon playing a key role in preventing the fire from consuming Kalos…" Sawyer replied. As he tried to figure out who Olympia might have meant when she said that, his thought process was soon interrupted by the sound of a vine smashing through another wall! He knew that now was not the time to be figuring these things out.

"Well, if that's what it is, then we'll play our part too!" Tierno said, holding a Poke Ball in his hand.

"We'll make sure the citizens evacuate safely!" Shauna declared as she and Trevor pulled out a Poke Ball from their pockets as well.

"Right!" Sawyer said, nodding his head in agreement. While he may not have had any idea what was happening, one thing was for certain. All these people needed somebody to guide to them to safety and fast, and as long as Sawyer had his Pokemon with him, he felt certain that he would be able to do just that.

After Sawyer sent out Sceptile, Shauna, Trevor and Tierno sent out their partner Pokemon, Ivysaur, Charizard and Blastoise respectively, at Sawyer's request. They were all ready to fight back against the vines!

"Blastoise, use Rapid Spin!" Tierno ordered.

"Ivysaur, Razor Leaf!" Shauna instructed.

"Charizard! Dragon Claw! Let's go!" Trevor commanded.

The three Pokemon all fired their attacks, which successfully cut apart the vines that had been chasing after the nearby residents. Within a matter of seconds, however, twice as many vines quickly shot out from the cement ground.

"It's no good!" Sawyer exclaimed. "We need our other Pokemon to help out too!"

"Right!" Shauna replied as she took out five more Poke Balls from her pocket. "Flabebe, Gothorita, Swirlix, Delcatty, Sliggoo, come on out!"

"Ludicolo, Raichu, Politoed, Hitmontop, Crawdaunt, go!" Tierno shouted.

"Aerodactly, Florges, Tyrantrum, Aurorus! You two!" Trevor said.

"Alright! Slaking, Salamence, Slurpuff, Aegislash, Clawitzer! Let's go!" Sawyer hollered.

As all nineteen Pokemon appeared in a flash of blue light, Sawyer faced his full team of Pokemon. "Okay! Salamence and Aegislash, I want you to use Protect and King's Shield to keep these people safe from the vines!" he ordered. "The rest of you, I want you all to use your attacks to keep these vines from spreading any further!"

Each of his Pokemon nodded in reply, as Salamence and Aegislash began forming barriers to keep the vines from coming their way. As this happened, the rest of the team started cutting apart the roots that were not blocked by the barriers.

"You six do the same!" Shauna commanded.

"You five as well!" Trevor called.

"Ready, dance team?" Tierno asked.

Upon their trainer's command, each of the Pokemon began doing their part to prevent the vines from causing any more harm to the nearby citizens, allowing them all to escape. "Everybody, head this way!" Sawyer shouted, pointing in the direction left of Prism Tower. "Head toward the Pokemon Center!"

Thanks to their Pokemon's help, the foursome managed to protect the many people and Pokemon coming by, as they anxiously raced their way toward the Pokemon Center. The trainers and Pokemon kept this up for several minutes until the Pokemon began to grow immensely tired. Sawyer could sense that they would not be able to keep this up for much longer. "We need to retreat, quick!" he shouted, as Tierno, Trevor, and Shauna nodded their heads simultaneously. After returning each of their Pokemon back into their Poke Balls, they too raced their way toward the Pokemon Center.

Over at their destination, the waiting room was completely filled with people and Pokemon, all of whom were still stunned following that horrifying incident, with many of them physically injured too. "Everyone, stay calm!" Nurse Joy said, visibly trying to remain calm herself. "We're doing the best we can!"

"_Wigglytuff!_" her pink and round Pokemon assistant said, trying to help everybody in the room remain calm as well.

"Nurse Joy!" Sawyer exclaimed, gasping for air as he entered the Pokemon Center along with Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno, having barely managed to escape from the vines.

"Huh?" Joy responded, quickly recognizing Sawyer. "You're one of the Kalos League semi-finalists, aren't you?"

"Right," Sawyer replied.

"We told all these people to come here to the Pokemon Center," Tierno stated.

"Nurse Joy! There's got to be something else we can do to help them out!" Trevor exclaimed.

"In that case, you four give these out to whoever needs them," Joy instructed, as she and Wigglytuff handed the four trainers stacks of pain-relief blankets.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," Sawyer said, taking one of the stacks from Wigglytuff's hands.

As Sawyer and the three other trainers made their way around the room, handing out the white blankets, they soon noticed the TV turning on by itself. The screen showed a red logo resembling a flame before it revealed a tall, red-haired man wearing a black, leather suit. The man introduced himself as Lysandre, the founder of Team Flare, stating that his organization planned to rebuild the world. He then revealed an image of a giant, red serpentine Pokemon named Zygarde, who was "furious" at all humans and Pokemon. He described humans as foolish beings who fought over something they did not share, and that if they were to fight, only the strong would survive. Therefore, Lysandre wished to create a beautiful world where there was no conflict, which meant reducing the number of people and Pokemon the planet and letting only the chosen ones survive. He finished off the broadcast with a proclamation that he, Team Flare and Zygarde would soon pass on the penalty and create the peaceful world they sought.

This broadcast left the entire room of people in a state of confusion and shock, especially Trevor. "Y-You don't think he r-really means that… D-Do you…?" he stuttered, shivering in terror.

"Hm…" Sawyer muttered, trying to remember what else Olympia said back when he challenged her Gym that might have explained more of what was going on. He remembered encountering a group of people wearing red suits, with a logo on their suits that looked an awful lot like the logo that he saw before the broadcast. The memory of the incident soon came back to him.

"What exactly do you intend to do with the Sundial's energy?" said Olympia.

"Like that's any of your business!" one of the grunts replied.

Now in the present moment, all the dots seemed to connect. The fact that the logo on their suits looked so similar to the logo he just saw could not have been a coincidence. _Could those people we battled at the Sundial be part of Team Flare…?_ Sawyer thought to himself.

A few minutes later, the screen above the Pokemon Center counter turned on once again, this time giving an image of Prism Tower from a helicopter view. "This is Jessie Murrow, reporting live!" said the reporter. Little did the trainers know however that was actually Jessie from Team Rocket, whom they had all met at least once during an encounter with Ash. "At present, we see Kalos Champion Diantha and her Gardevoir helping the citizens evacuate the city! Near Prism Tower we see… huh? What's this? Twerps?"

"Shhh!" exclaimed two voices from behind the camera.

"I mean… a group of young trainers approaching Prism Tower! One of whom is the Lumiose Gym Leader, Clemont!"

"Clemont?" Trevor said in shocked, as Shauna, Tierno, and Sawyer all fixed their eyes on the screen with equally stunned expressions.

"I'll bet you Clemont's trying to get his Gym back," Tierno stated.

"Oh, I hope they'll be okay…" Shauna remarked.

"What do we have here?" Jessie asked, pointing her camera toward the top of Prism Tower. In front of it were what appeared to be seven mysterious objects, but it was actually a trainer with his six Pokemon. "Another twer- I mean, trainer… floating in front of the tower along with his Pokemon! They all appear to be unconscious!"

The camera zoomed in on the trainer's face, as Sawyer squinted his eyes, believing that he recognized the trainer. He then let out a gasp of horror. "Is that… Ash?"

"Huh?" Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno all spun around, now even more panicked than they had been a moment ago.

A moment later, Nurse Joy briskly opened the door leading to the treatment room. "There are several Pokemon that need serious care!" she exclaimed. "Would you four be okay with lending us a hand?"

"Right!" Trevor nodded in reply, as he, Tierno and Shauna quickly made their way toward the green door.

"You coming, Sawyer?" Tierno asked. Sawyer did not respond. He continued to stare at the television screen with a deeply staggered look in his eyes, having tuned out everything that was just said out of concern for his friend. "Sawyer?"

"Huh?" Sawyer muttered, turning around and noticing that Trevor and Shauna were heading for the door to the treatment room. "Y-Yeah, I'm coming…" he responded, still glimpsing at the television screen as he made his way toward the door.

Once the four trainers came into the treatment room, they saw a group of four injured Pokemon all on different hospital beds, suffering greatly from their wounds. After Nurse Joy handed them all a roll of bandages, she gave each of them all instructions on how and where they needed to apply them onto the Pokemon. "Make sure you don't tie the bandages too tight, okay?" she said.

"You're gonna be just fine, Phanpy," Shauna said to the small, blue Pokemon lying on the bed in front of her.

"_Phan…_" muttered the weak and injured Pokemon, barely having the strength to move.

As Sawyer wrapped the bandages around the paw of a wounded Glameow, a grey, feline Pokemon, his mind was still preoccupied with worry for Ash and his Pokemon. He could not stop thinking about what may have been happening to Ash and his Pokemon, and why all of them were floating above the source of the disaster, unconscious. The fact that he knew so many other people were in danger at this moment as well did not make things any better. The more anxious he grew, the tighter he wrapped the bandage around the Glameow's paw. Sawyer, unaware that he was doing this, soon inflicted too much discomfort for Glameow to handle.

"_Nya!_" Glameow growled, extending its claw.

Hearing Glameow's shriek immediately snapped Sawyer out of his worrisome train of thought. "Sorry, Glameow!" he exclaimed.

Glameow purred, settling down as it lowered its claw. It then gave him a sharp glare, warning him to be careful not to wrap the bandages too tight. And so, Sawyer did just that. While his worries about Ash and everyone else in Lumiose City did resume, Sawyer managed to maintain his focus on making sure he did not wrap the bandages too tight. _Please be safe, Ash…_ Sawyer thought to himself.

Quite an action-packed chapter, huh? I am guessing you want to know more about what is happening at this point in the story. Well, you can find that out for yourself in episode 39, A Towering Takeover! That is only if you want to, however. I'll go easy on you this time.


	37. Rooted to the Spot

After the Pokemon had been treated, Sawyer, Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno came back to the waiting room to discover there was even more going on near Prism Tower. Two men were standing at the top of Prism Tower, one of whom being Lysandre. Above them, Ash and his Pokemon were still being restrained in mid-air, but were now awake, watching the events unfold from above. Right next to Prism Tower's entrance, the red Zygarde was battling against who appeared to be another Zygarde, this one being green. This brought Sawyer back to what Olympia had said when he asked her what the source of the green flame was:

"My vision tells me that the source of this green fire… will be from a mysterious, green Pokemon."

_Could Squishy have some kind of connection to Zygarde…?_ Sawyer thought to himself. A moment later, Nurse Joy opened the door to the treatment room. "The Pokemon are doing just fine," she stated. "They'll get better very soon."

"That's great, Nurse Joy," Shauna said.

"Is everyone doing okay?" Joy asked, as each of the people in the room replied that they were either okay or doing just fine, though many of them were still quite understandably stressed.

_Smash!_

Just when things had begun to calm down, another root slammed into the wall of the neighboring building, startling everyone in the room. "What was that?" Trevor cried in panic.

"Those vines just aren't gonna stop, are they?" Tierno remarked.

"What do we do?" Shauna asked.

"There must be something we can do…" Sawyer murmured. Seeing all those buildings getting destroyed, and all those people suffering had urged him to take action in some way. He felt confident that he and his Pokemon were capable of keeping these people safe from further harm, and nothing frustrated Sawyer more than the thought of just standing by and watching all this happen. He recalled what Jessie Murrow said earlier in the broadcast. She had stated that Diantha, the Kalos Champion, was protecting the citizens. This gave him an idea. "I'm going to see if I can find Diantha," Sawyer declared, as he began heading for the exit.

"What for?" Shauna asked.

"She must still be out there protecting the citizens," Sawyer stated. "I'm going to ask her if there's anything we can do to help out."

Hearing this brought shock to Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno. "Are you sure about that…?" Trevor muttered, nervously tightening his fists. "Last I heard she was near Prism Tower. It might be dangerous…"

"All of these people are in danger too," Sawyer stated assertively. "And I can't just stand around and watch them get hurt. Someone has to help them."

Tierno smiled, seeming to agree with Sawyer. "In that case, I'm coming too," he stated.

"Me too," Trevor said, though his voice sounded slightly hesitant.

"So will I," Shauna added.

Sawyer nodded, as he took out one of his Poke Balls from his pocket and held it upward. "Salamence and I will go look for her," he declared, as he dashed toward the exit and hurled his Poke Ball up into the sky. "Salamence, let's go!" Sawyer shouted. As his Poke Ball popped open, out emerged the massive, Dragon and Flying-Type Pokemon.

"_Boooooh!_" the Pokemon roared in delight upon seeing its trainer, before realizing that it was surrounded by a series of colossal, destructive vines! "_Boh?_" It exclaimed, quickly sidestepping away from a vine that was coming right for it.

"Alright, Salamence. I want you to fly me above the city so that the two of us can look for Diantha," Sawyer stated. "She and her Gardevoir are most likely near Prism Tower."

"_Boh,_" Salamence replied with a nod, as Sawyer carefully climbed on top of its back, causing Salamence to blush and giggle.

"Ready?" Sawyer asked.

"_Boh!_" Salamence exclaimed, suddenly remembering what it had been told to do. After shaking its head, it started flapping its wings and lifting itself and its trainer into the sky. A moment later, however, a vine began shooting its way toward the two! "Boh!" Salamence roared, firing a sphere of flames toward the vine, destroying it in the blink of an eye.

"Thanks, Salamence," Sawyer muttered, letting out a sigh of relief. "That was a close one…"

"_Boh, Boh…_" Salamence replied, smiling and blushing at its trainer once again.

Sawyer and Salamence spent the next few minutes searching for Diantha from the air. As they thoroughly examined the area near Prism Tower, Sawyer quickly found Diantha and her Mega Gardevoir standing near a cluster of vines, which Mega Gardevoir was launching countless energy beams at.

"There she is!" Sawyer cheered. "Alright, Salamence! Let's go back and tell the others!"

"_Boh!_" Sawyer's Pokemon cried, spinning around in the opposite direction before heading back toward the Pokemon Center.

Once Sawyer and Salamence made it back to the Pokemon Center and told Shauna, Trevor and Tierno where Diantha was, the four of them set out to convince her to let them lend a hand. Unfortunately for you Lazy Larrys, this event is shown on screen in episode 40, Coming Apart at the Dreams! On the other hand, this is the only thing that happens to Sawyer on screen in this episode, so I will not pressure you guys to watch it as I had done with the earlier episodes. You can feel free to watch this episode if you are curious to see what happens to the other characters, or you can skip ahead to Chapter 38. See? I can be nice. Sometimes…


	38. Towers of Strength

The four trainers' request to Diantha was successful. Although she did hesitate briefly, she agreed to let them rescue the children and elders who were still trapped in the area and bring them to where she was, much to their delight. It was not long after this request however that the green Zygarde who was shown near Prism Tower was captured by the red one and then struck with a red beam of light. This caused the green Zygarde to turn red as well, and it did not take long for the number of vines around the city to increase. Although this made the trainers' tasks more difficult, they all managed to successfully rescue several families in need with the help of their Pokemon. While Sawyer's Salamence searched for the remaining citizens up from the sky, Sawyer, Sceptile, and Aegislash all accompanied Slurpuff as it searched with its sense of smell. As soon as Slurpuff sensed somebody who was trapped on the opposite side of a root, Sceptile cut the root apart with Leaf Blade, as Aegislash used King's Shield to prevent any more vines from coming their way so that they could escape. They all managed to keep this up until nightfall and bring everyone in the area to where Diantha was, where her Gardevoir was shielding the surrounding area from vines using its Reflect attack. Now it was up to Diantha, Sawyer, Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno to guide everybody to safety under the red, night sky. Why the sky was red I have no idea. I am not the one who made that decision. Regardless, the escorting continued as the families scampered in the direction where Diantha and Sawyer were pointing.

"Everybody, stay calm!" Diantha instructed. "Head this way!"

"Head toward the Pokemon Center!" Sawyer called.

While this was going on, each of the trainers' Pokemon continued fighting back against the incoming roots and vines, allowing everyone to escape safely. "You're doing great, you guys!" Tierno said to his team of Pokemon. "Keep it up!"

"Just a little bit more!" Shauna added.

"Hang in there everyone!" Trevor shouted.

"_Slurpuff?_" Sawyer's Fairy-Type Pokemon said, turning toward a group of vines clustered next to a towering building.

"What's wrong, Slurpuff?" Sawyer asked his Pokemon.

"_Slurpuff, Puff!_" Slurpuff cried, pointing its chubby arm toward the vines.

"Is somebody in there?" Sawyer asked.

"_Puff,_" Slurpuff nodded in reply.

"Sceptile, quick! Use Leaf Blade on those vines!" Sawyer ordered.

"_Sceeeeeptile!_" Sceptile roared, merging the two leaves on its arm together and swinging it toward the vines, chopping them in half. Upon destroying the vines, Sceptile discovered a mother and her young child sitting near the building, shivering in fear. Seeing that the mother's leg had been injured, Sceptile grabbed her hand and helped her stand up, as Aegislash kept the two of them guarded with King's Shield.

"Are you two okay?" Sawyer asked.

"Yeah… I think so…" the mother replied, as she let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much for saving us. Please, tell us where to go!"

"You'll be safe at the Pokemon Center," Sawyer replied. "Sceptile, could you help make sure they get there safely?"

"_Sceptile,_" Sawyer's Pokemon replied, as it began speed-walking toward the direction of the Pokemon Center while holding the mother's hand.

"Thank you, Sceptile!" Sawyer shouted, relieved to have found those two in time before turning toward his Fairy-Type Pokemon. "You too, Slurpuff. Great job."

"_Puff?_" Slurpuff asked, turning its head and realizing that Sawyer was speaking to it. It could have sworn it heard someone singing just a moment ago. "Slurpuff!" the pink Pokemon cheered, before turning its head back in that direction and noticing a giant fountain of green energy not that far away.

"What's that green energy…?" Sawyer asked. "Could it mean that one of the Zygarde is free from Team Flare's control...?"

Just when Sawyer lost all focus on looking out for the vines, a particularly massive one came charging in toward Sawyer like a speeding bullet. Sawyer did not notice this until his Salamence swooped down toward the vine and underwent a direct hit! "Boh!" Salamence shrieked, plummeting straight toward the ground, as Sawyer turned around while gritting his teeth in terror.

"Salamence, no!" Sawyer hollered, racing toward his seemingly unconscious Pokemon. "Are you okay? Say something, please!"

"_Boh…_" Salamence muttered, slowly opening its eyes as it struggled to lift itself off the ground. The harder it tried to lift itself up, the more pain it seemed to undergo.

"I think you need to stay down!" Sawyer advised, as his Salamence laid back down. "What happened just now, Salamence? Were you trying to protect somebody?"

"_Boh! Boh!_" Salamence cried, seeming as though it was trying to explain what had happened.

"Huh…?" Sawyer muttered. "Was that vine you were struck by coming after me?"

"_Boh,_" Salamence replied with a weak nod.

Sawyer widened his eyes with gratitude. It touched his heart to see that his Pokemon's first instinct was to risk its life in such a manner to save him. Although he would have done the same, he was still pleasantly surprised by this instinctive act of selflessness. "Salamence… I don't know how to thank you," he muttered. "You saved my life." In response to this brave and selfless action, Sawyer wrapped his arms around the wounded Salamence, causing its face to go beet red. "You're the best friend a trainer could ask for, Salamence."

Salamence stared off blankly into the distance, having completely forgotten about its injuries. Salamence then began seeing purple spots, as the sounds around it started to feel distant until finally, its dizziness caused it to collapse.

"Salamence!" Sawyer shrieked, before seeing that his unconscious Pokemon was still breathing, much to his relief. "Take a good rest, Salamence," he said, calling his Pokemon back into its Poke Ball. "Don't worry. I'll get you to the Pokemon Center as soon as I can."

"Hey, that green light must be coming from the other Zygarde?" Trevor said, pointing toward yet another fountain of green light.

"That means the other Zygarde is free from Team Flare's control too!" Shauna remarked.

"Alright!" Tierno cheered, raising his fist in exhilaration.

"Looks like everyone's safe," Diantha said, as her Mega Gardevoir became surrounded in a multi-colored aura, transfiguring back into its original, non-Mega Evolved form. "Why don't the four of you head back to the Pokemon Center?"

The four trainers all replied with a nod, as they hurried back toward the Pokemon Center, now able to lend a hand for the citizens they had just rescued.

I'm guessing many of you are wondering what is happening behind the scenes of this disaster, and what caused the two Zygarde to become free from Team Flare's control. Well, you can find that out for yourself in episode 41, The Right Hero For the Right Job! Again, I am giving you the choice for this one. I do hope this makes up for all the other times I have pressured you guys to watch television like everyone else…


	39. It Will Be Over Soon

As the four trainers hurried their way back to the Pokemon Center, they noticed that none of the vines in their path were moving at all, nor could they hear any destruction happening nearby. It appeared that the disaster was now over due to the Zygarde having broken free from Team Flare's control. Now was only a matter of helping the citizens to recover from the aftermath of that event.

Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. Because the people who were currently in the waiting room had all been outside where the vines were for much longer, many more of them had been suffering from both physical and emotional wounds. Although this was disheartening to see, the four trainers and Nurse Joy all knew that they needed to stay as calm as they could so that they could help spread that calmness across the room.

"Normally at a time like this I would have Wigglytuff use Heal Pulse to help these people out, but it's been through a lot today and needs to rest," Nurse Joy stated. "Do any of you four have a Pokemon that knows Heal Pulse?"

"My Clawitzer knows Heal Pulse," Sawyer said.

"Do you think could have your Clawitzer use it?" Joy asked. "That would be a big help."

"Sure," Sawyer replied.

"After you do that, I'd like you to hand these out again," Nurse Joy instructed, handing Sawyer and Sceptile a stack of pain relief blankets, before turning toward Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno. "Could the rest of you help me treat the injured Pokemon?"

"Sure thing," Tierno replied.

"We'll do whatever we can," Shauna stated, as she, Trevor and Tierno entered the treatment room.

"Alright, Clawitzer. Heal Pulse, let's go!" Sawyer ordered, throwing his Poke Ball up into the air as his blue, crustacean Pokemon appeared in a flash of sparkling light. It then started to emit an aura of rainbow-colored, circular light, which wafted its way across the entire room. Not only did this light partially heal the wounds of the injured citizens, but it also caused them to feel much calmer and at ease. It was as if they were gazing out at a still lake during the night, completely quiet and free from disturbance... This was especially the case for Sawyer and Sceptile, who were standing directly beside Clawitzer as this was happening. "Wow… your Heal Pulse really works, Clawitzer…" he mumbled, feeling as though all the mayhem and intensity that had just taken place was nothing more than a dream. Everything was a blur, except for this magical moment of peace and tranquility.

"_Sceptile…_" Sceptile murmured, feeling the exact same way as its trainer. Both it and Sawyer had completely forgotten about their task of handing out the blankets. They simply stood where they were, holding the stacks of blankets in their arms without having any idea why. As the residents in the room looked at the two of them in confusion, Clawitzer noticed what was going on. Although its Mega Launcher ability did make Heal Pulse more effective, this was the first time in which that ability did not come in handy. It then lightly tapped its trainer's ankle, which quickly caused him to snap out of his trance-like state.

"Hm…? Oh, right! The blankets!" Sawyer said, feeling like himself again as he turned toward his Clawitzer and called it back into its Poke Ball. "Thanks very much, Clawitzer. Take a good rest."

After sending Clawitzer back into its Poke Ball, Sawyer and Sceptile began handing the blankets out to the people across the room. Due to them being in a calmer state of mind, everyone they greeted felt much more at ease upon seeing their reassuring smiles. They then walked over toward the couches next to the window, where the two of them saw the same mother and child who they had rescued shortly before they left. As Sawyer handed the small child the last blanket in his hands, the little boy continued shivering in great terror. "That was scary…" he mumbled.

"Everything's okay now," Sawyer said reassuringly. "The vines have stopped moving, and the two Zygarde are back to normal. Everything's gonna be just fine."

"Thank you…" the little boy murmured, as he rested his head on his mother's lap and drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile, Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno, along with their respective partner Pokemon, had just finished treating the injured Pokemon in the treatment room. "Looks like these Pokemon are feeling much better," Joy remarked.

"That's a relief," Shauna said.

Trevor walked up toward the little Fire-Type Pokemon who was laying comfortably on the hospital bed closest to the door. "You were really brave, Charmander," he said.

"_Char…_" Charmander mumbled, giving Trevor a grateful smile that reminded him of the Charmander he had on his team before it evolved into Charizard.

Now that the treatment was over, Nurse Joy and the three trainers came back to check on how things were going in the waiting room. They saw that Sawyer and Sceptile had handed out all the relief supplies that Nurse Joy had given them, and that everyone in the room appeared to be in a much calmer headspace. "Wow, Sawyer. You've been a big help," Joy stated.

"Thanks," Sawyer responded with a smile. "Everyone seems to be feeling a lot better now."

"So does Sawyer," Tierno commented.

"Yeah, he looks a lot more relaxed than he had been before," Trevor added.

"Well, that's just how a Pokemon Center helper should feel," Joy remarked, just as the big screen behind them turned on once again. This time, it showed a moving image of a vast forest from a helicopter view.

"To protect the world from devastation!" a female voice in the background declared.

"To unite all peoples within our nation!" a male voice added.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno listened carefully to the words, trying to remember where they heard it before. The words sounded even more familiar to Sawyer, as though he had heard it dozens of times in his early childhood.

"Jessie!" the female voice said.

"James!" the male voice added.

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare for a broadcasted fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!" shouted a cartoony voice beside the two people. They then pointed the camera toward the source of that voice: a talking, cream-colored, feline Pokemon.

"_Wobuffett!_" a blue, chubby Pokemon exclaimed, as it emerged unexpectedly from its Poke Ball. This caused both the helicopter, as well as the camera, to stumble, bringing panic to the viewers watching.

"Now's not the time, Wobuffett!" Jessie shouted, managing to call her Pokemon back into its Poke Ball, as Meowth gave her an irritated look.

"Excuse me, but we're on a helicopter!" Meowth hollered. "We're supposed to keep it steady, capiche?"

"Oh, grow up!" Jessie responded. "Wobbuffet comes out when it wants to, not when I tell it too!"

"Cut to the chase, you two!" James insisted. "We're broadcasters, remember?"

Meowth groaned. "Fine," he said, as Jessie turned her head away like a child arguing with their sibling.

"It's Team Rocket!" Trevor exclaimed, remembering them as a trio of Pokemon thieves. "I knew I've heard that motto before…"

"You have?" Sawyer asked.

"They've gotten in our way a few times when we've reunited with Ash," Tierno remarked.

"Have you met Team Rocket before, Sawyer?" Shauna asked.

"I have met Team Rocket before, but that's not where I recognize their motto from," Sawyer replied. "I recognize it from a reality show my mom used to watch about peacekeeping."

"You're kidding!" Shauna exclaimed.

"I hope they haven't been saying that motto wherever they go," Sawyer remarked.

"I have a few more blankets left," Nurse Joy stated, walking out the treatment room with a new stack of relief supplies and her arms. "Could one of you hand these out while I treat the injured Pokemon?"

"I'll do it, Nurse Joy," Sawyer said.

"Sawyer, thank you so much," Joy responded, as she handed him and Sceptile the supplies before walking back into the treatment room.

Meanwhile, the televised image on the screen had now shown a mountainous landscape, which showcased a towering, Zygarde-shaped rock that seemed to be making its way through that area. "I have just discovered…" Jessie said, before getting cut off.

"_We_ have just discovered!" Meowth stated in a snarky tone.

"Will you stay out of this?" Jessie insisted.

"Sure. Just as soon as _you_ add us into it, dig?" Meowth responded.

Jessie let out an exasperated sigh, before moving on. "_We_ have just discovered something moving through the badlands near Melancholie Path!" she stated, before warning the citizens of Anistar that the giant object was coming there way and that they needed to evacuate the area immediately.

As this was happening, Sawyer and Sceptile were handing out the blankets that Joy gave to them, blissfully unaware that a new threat may have been just around the corner. Upon hearing Jessie's warning, Sawyer paused to glance over at the screen, starting to tense up slightly. He had hoped that after all the intense stress and drama that had occurred over the past eight hours, things would finally begin to settle down, but it was clear that the object did not seem to have any intention of stopping.

"To our right, we see…" Jessie said, pointing the camera toward the right and instantly recognizing who was standing in the helicopter beside hers. "Aaaaah!"

"What? Did your hair get caught on something?" Meowth asked.

"It's… the Champion!" Jessie squealed.

"Diantha?" James asked. "I thought she was protecting the citizens back in Lumiose City."

"No! It's Steven Stone!" Jessie hollered in exhilaration.

"Steven Stone?" Sawyer repeated, as he spun around and gazed at the screen. He was thrilled to see his idol standing in the helicopter on screen, ready to fight back against the giant object, though not quite to the extent that Jessie was.

"Come on, James!" Jessie urged her teammate. "Fly this helicopter that way! I wanna get that cutie-pie on tape!"

"You know that we're supposed to be focusing on the giant object, right?" James asked.

"Yeah, yeah, the residents of Anistar City are in danger and need to evacuate, yadda, yadda, yadda…" Jessie responded. "Who cares about that stuff? That babe deserves some time in the spotlight!"

As James reluctantly flew the helicopter toward Steven's, the four trainers noticed several more familiar faces. "Professor Sycamore and Serena?" Tierno asked.

"Isn't that Mairin?" Shauna asked quietly.

"I wonder why they're in that helicopter," Trevor commented. As the four trainers listened attentively, they heard Serena begging Sycamore and Steven to allow her to help out, as the world would end if the object were to collide with the Sundial.

"What did she say?" Tierno exclaimed.

"The world will end?" Trevor asked, widening his eyes in complete shock.

"Maybe she's just exaggerating…" Sawyer commented, hoping to keep things positive and calm, especially for the people who still needed time to recover from the shock of the previous events.

"That doesn't sound much like Serena to me," Shauna remarked, as she gazed apprehensively at the giant monitor and locked her hands together. _Please be okay, Serena…_ she thought to herself.


	40. Danger Rocketing Up

After Sycamore and Steven agreed to allow Serena to help them out, they each sent out their partner Pokemon, Garchomp, Metagross, and Braixen respectively. Sycamore and Steven then both activated their Mega Stones, causing their Garchomp and Metagross to change form as they, along with Braixen, made their way toward the giant object. They all fired a cluster of attacks, though they were all blocked by the vines surrounding it. The vines then shot out toward them. They managed to keep them away with their attacks for a little while, but it did not take long for the remaining vines to restrain both Garchomp and Metagross. Braixen, who had been riding on Metagross's head, began falling toward the ground until it was saved by a Mega Evolved Charizard. Riding on the Charizard's back was a Pikachu who looked awfully familiar to Sawyer. A moment later, another helicopter came into view, revealing another group of familiar faces.

"Hey! It's Ash and Greninja!" Sawyer cheered, thrilled to see that his friend was alright.

"Clemont and Bonnie! And Alain too!" Trevor said, feeling equally relieved as Sawyer.

"Who's that guy…?" Shauna murmured, as she noticed somebody else standing behind Clemont. He wore a red and yellow cape, as well as a mask red, white and spiky mask resembling the face of a Mega Blaziken. Behind the camera, Sawyer and the others could distinctly hear the Team Rocket trio announcing that the whole gang had arrived.

Upon their trainers' command, Charizard and Pikachu used their attacks to free both Garchomp and Metagross from the vines. While this was going on, Jessie explained to the audience that the trainers, who she mistakenly called twerps yet again, were trying their best to prevent the giant object from reaching Anistar City. Seeing how close his idol was to potential danger, Sawyer quickly grew even more worried than he was when he saw him at the top of Prism Tower. Just the thought of Ash making one little mistake made his heart pound to the point where he could sense every beat in his chest. It was almost too unbearable to watch. Sawyer was, however, confident that his role model would remain careful and not attempt anything crazy.

Sadly, that did not seem to be the case. Only a few seconds after Sawyer assured himself that Ash would proceed with caution, Greninja, who was in its Ash-Greninja form, leaped out of the helicopter, and began gliding straight toward the object! It then swung the Water Shuriken on its back toward the object's core. Ash was then heard saying that Chespie was located underneath that shuriken.

"Chespie?" Tierno repeated, seeming as though he recognized that name.

"Who's Chespie?" Sawyer asked.

"It's a Chespin that belongs to a trainer named Mairin we met the other day," Trevor replied.

"She said that Chespie's been asleep for a long time," Shauna said apprehensively, causing Sawyer to widen his eyes in shock. "I wonder why it's inside the giant object…"

As every Pokemon on the screen made their way toward the core of the rock, they managed to dodge and destroy each and every vine that came their way. Because they were busy defending themselves from the vines, however, none of them were able to get anywhere near the giant object. This lasted for nearly half a minute until everybody's Pokemon was captured by the vines!

"Of all the nerve!" Jessie hollered.

"Jessie, what are you…" James muttered, sounding as though he was trying to get Jessie to stop something that she was doing. Next thing Sawyer and the others knew, the screen had turned black!

"Huh? What now?" Shauna asked.

"They just stopped recording out of nowhere!" Trevor exclaimed.

"Well, that _is_ Team Rocket," Tierno remarked.

"I hope Ash and the others are okay…" Sawyer murmured, as his muscles began to grow as stiff as stone. Knowing that the broadcast had finished on a negative note, Sawyer could not help but worry that things were escalating in an undesirable way. Whether or not they were, he had no way of finding out.

"Knowing Ash, I'm sure he and his Pokemon are just fine," Tierno stated with an assured smile.

"But the fate of the world is at stake!" Trevor stressed. "How can we be so sure?"

"Don't forget, Ash has got lots of super strong trainers by his side," Shauna remarked. "Clemont's the Lumiose Gym Leader, Alain and Steven are some of the strongest trainers in Kalos, and if I know Serena, she will be a big help as well!"

Sawyer continued to maintain a nervous look, trying to decide if he truly believed what Shauna and Tierno were saying.

"And if there's one thing we know about Ash, it's that he won't quit until it's over!" Tierno declared.

It was this statement that allowed Sawyer to see where Shauna and Tierno were coming from. Ash's desire to never give up was the very trait that led to Sawyer developing a deep admiration for him. If that attribute was enough to inspire Sawyer to come this far on his Kalos journey, then it would also be enough to take down the giant object once and for all. "Right," Sawyer said, as he gave his friends a confident nod. "Ash and the others can save us for sure!"

The next five minutes were spent checking on how both the citizens were doing, and on how the Pokemon were doing in the treatment room. Everyone, for the most part, appeared to be in good health, definitely more so than before. Once those five minutes were up, the screen turned on once again! Sawyer and the others rushed over toward the screen to see what was happening and heard Jessie declare that a massive group of heroes had gathered to save the world from destruction. The camera then revealed a long row of both trainers and Pokemon: Ash, his friends, Diantha, Malva, and eight Kalos Gym Leaders, five of whom Sawyer recognized. On the screen, they saw Viola and Vivillon, Ramos and Gogoat, Olympia and Meowstic, Valerie and Spritzee, and finally, Wulfric and Abomasnow! They each stood courageously between the Sundial and the object.

"Check it out!" Tierno shouted.

"All the Kalos Gym Leaders have gathered in one place!" Trevor cheered.

Sawyer gazed at the monitor, trying to see if he recognized anyone else. _Hold on…_ he thought. _I don't see Bernice, Marino or Soraya…_

Even if you will not get to watch Bernice, Marino or Soraya battling head to head against the giant object, you can still see the big battle take place on screen, just as Sawyer and his friends did. I would suggest you start with watching episode 42 of Pokemon the Series: XYZ, Rocking Kalos Defenses! If constant tension and suspense is not your cup of tea, however, feel free to move on to the next chapter. Just between you and me, constant tension and suspense is not my cup of tea either... See? I can empathize with you Lazy Larrys.


	41. The Theme Team

Upon Diantha's command, the team of trainers began racing head-on toward the towering object. Vines were coming their way, though Pikachu and Charizard managed to stop them with their attacks once again. Ash, Alain, and their partner Pokemon then scampered across the moving vines, while Malva, Alain, and the masked man ordered their Houndoom, Charizard and Blaziken respectively to use Flamethrower on the incoming vines. A couple seconds later, after a cluster of vines had begun blocking their path, Olympia and Valerie's Pokemon both cleared the way for Ash and Alain. It did not take long however for Valerie to get trapped by one of the vines, although she insisted that Ash and Alain kept going. As the two of them continued to run, Charizard, Pikachu, and Greninja persistently cut apart the vines in their way. Though Greninja struggled to stop one of the vines, it was quickly lent a hand by a bipedal, blue Pokemon in its Mega Evolved form. This Pokemon was a Lucario, and behind it was a roller-skating, blonde-haired girl with white and red overalls.

"It's Korinna from the Shalour Gym!" Trevor cheered. "Awesome!"

"No doubt she and Lucario can help out Ash and Alain!" Tierno said with complete assurance. Although Sawyer may not have been familiar with Korrina, he felt confident that she was just as strong as the rest of the Gym Leaders and would provide much for help to Ash and Alain.

While her Lucario fought back against the vine, she told Ash and Alain to go on ahead. A few seconds later, however, her Lucario was then sent flying backward by the vine and toward Korrina, knocking her over. She once again insisted that the two trainers kept going, and so they did. Another set of vines quickly came their way, though Ramos and Gogoat stepped in just in time to use Grass Knot and tie the roots together. Like Valerie however, Ramos and Gogoat were captured as well, and within a matter of seconds, Ash and Alain were too. Luckily, they were soon saved by Viola's Vivillon's Solar Beam. Behind them was a young, slim man who wore multiple rocks in his hair. Beside him was a short and brown, dinosaurian Pokemon named Tyrunt. Upon its trainer's command, Tyrunt launched a series of rocks to the stop the next set of vines and create a wall to the shuriken for Ash and Alain to climb.

"Alright!" Tierno shouted. "Way to go, Grant!"

"Grant is the Gym Leader of the Cyllage Gym, isn't he?" Shauna asked.

"He sure is," Trevor said. "He and his Tyrunt are amazingly strong!"

Unfortunately, Grant and Viola were both captured seconds later, though they too insisted that Ash and Alain went on ahead. As the two of them climbed the newly-built wall, Wulfric's Abomasnow used its Ice Shard attack to freeze the vines that were chasing after them. Soon after Wulfric and Abomasnow were knocked over by one of the vines, Ash and Alain reached the top of the wall, as Malva, Sycamore, Diantha, Clemont and the masked man ran ahead of them to stop the vines. After each of their Pokemon launched their attacks and managed to stop most of the vines from reaching Ash and Alain, Malva and Sycamore were quickly captured. As Clemont's Pokemon were aiming their attacks at the vines, Ash and Alain saw that there were still many more vines in front of them.

"Inkay, use Psybeam!" James ordered from behind the camera.

"Gourgeist, use Shadow Ball!" Jessie commanded.

As James' floating, blue Pokemon fired a multi-colored beam at the vine, Jessie's pumpkin-shaped Pokemon launched a deep, dark sphere of energy, successfully stopping the root from reaching Ash.

"Look at that!" Trevor exclaimed.

"I never thought I'd see Team Rocket actually helping out Ash and his friends," Shauna remarked.

Jessie and James as well insisted that Ash and Alain kept heading toward the object's core. Seconds later, however, a booming thud could be heard, as the camera began pointing in all directions, seeming as if it was falling to the ground. This brought great alarm to everyone watching this on television, which included the people at the Pokemon Center.

"Oh no!" Tierno cried.

"Did a vine reach their helicopter?" Shauna asked.

As all this was going on, Sawyer continued not saying a word. All he wanted was for Ash and all the others, which seemed to include all of society, to be safe. He simply felt too nervous for a single word to slip out of his mouth.

Within seconds, the camera began to straighten up, looking as if it was slowly being lowered down. The Team Rocket trio had been rescued by Diantha's Gardevoir's Psychic attack. Once the camera began focusing once again on the battle, Steven and Diantha were seen hurrying across the vines along with Ash and Alain. Their Metagross and Gardevoir then used their telekinetic powers to create a bridge leading to the shuriken. As Ash and Alain continued scampering in that direction, the Champions kept the vines away with their Pokemon's powerful attacks. As the two trainers got closer, Charizard, Pikachu, and Greninja continued attacking the roots. They then used their attacks to open a hole in the core, which Ash, Alain, and their Pokemon leaped into in a cloud of smoke.

"Alright!" Tierno cheered. "Looks like they're inside!"

"All that's left now is for them to rescue Chespie!" Shauna stated.

"I hope they'll be alright…" Sawyer muttered. Seeing how close Ash was to danger, it was becoming harder and harder for him to feel excited when things were going in a good direction. The longer this disaster went on, the less likely it seemed that they would be able to stop the giant object in time.

"Remember, these are the Kalos League finalists we're talking about," Tierno said. "And they've got some of their strongest Pokemon by their side."

"They'll rescue Chespie for sure!" Shauna stated.

Sawyer remained silent, desperately wanting to believe that was true.

The rest of the trainers and Pokemon resumed attacking the vines, which lasted for well over a minute as Sawyer and his friends observed anxiously. A cluster of vines then came charging forward and surrounded Serena, Bonnie, and Mairin, who were standing a fair distance from the giant object. While Serena's Pokemon managed to destroy the vines, more of them quickly came charging in directly toward Mairin. Just when they were about to reach her, however, all the vines suddenly stopped moving! A few seconds later, Ash, Alain, and their Pokemon leaped out of the core, with Alain carrying an unconscious Chespin in his arms!

"They got Chespie back!" Trevor shouted joyously.

"Alright!" Tierno cheered.

Upon seeing that the object stopped moving and Chespie had been saved, a smile finally appeared on Sawyer's face. It looked like things were wrapping up at last, much to his relief.

Shortly after the rescue, all the trainers gathered together once again and fired their Pokemon's attacks at the object. This caused it to tumble over, though it quickly lifted itself back and began to glow once more! The camera then zoomed in, as Lysandre revealed himself on top of the object!

"Lysandre?" Trevor cried.

"How did he withstand that blast?" Shauna exclaimed.

After several moments of everyone gazing intently at the screen in suspense, the giant object fired a mighty beam at the trainers. Although it was blocked by Valerie's Spritzee's Light Screen attack, it sent each and every one of the trainers and Pokemon plummeting toward the ground. Sawyer and his friends could hear Jessie asking if this chaos would ever end, as they all began questioning the same thing, especially Sawyer. As the trainers slowly lifted themselves off the ground, the object began to move once again. They could then hear Clemont explaining to the group that the power that the object possessed was coming from the device on Lysandre's arm, which led them to form a plan to destroy the device. The object then let loose another blast of energy, which sent everyone flying back once more. Shortly afterward, a group of two familiar, green Pokemon jumped out of Bonnie's arms and faced the giant object.

"Isn't that… Squishy?" Sawyer wondered aloud, as the two identical Pokemon began to glow in an aura of bright, green light. Several waves of green energy then started spreading across the area, as dozens upon dozens of beams coming from multiple locations made their way toward the two Pokemon. The people who were in the Pokemon Center waiting room could even see those beams coming from a few spots right next to them back in Lumiose City. A gleaming light then shot upward from the two Pokemon straight into the sky. Once the light vanished, a colossal, humanoid, green and black Pokemon made itself visible.

"What's that?" Trevor exclaimed.

"You don't think that's…" Tierno muttered.

"Zygarde…?" Shauna finished.

All four trainers could distinctly hear Olympia declaring that this was the form when all had become one. The giant object retaliated with yet another mighty beam, though it was blocked by Zygarde's Dragon Pulse. The vines surrounding the object attempted to trap Zygarde, but it broke through each and every one of them and quickly sent the object sliding backward with a potent tackle. Pikachu, Charizard, and Greninja then fired their attacks straight toward Lysandre's device, successfully destroying it. As a follow-up to this, Zygarde zoomed its way straight into the object's core and out again, causing it to break down.

"Awesome…" Trevor mumbled in astonishment.

"I had no idea Squishy was that powerful!" Sawyer cheered.

To finish things off, Zygarde launched a mighty, multi-colored blast of energy toward the object. The beam carved a Z-shape into the ground and summoned an enormous explosion. By the time the smoke cleared away, both Lysandre and the object had disappeared!

"It's gone!" Shauna cheered, as everyone in the room raised their fists in exhilaration. "Zygarde did it!"

"Alright!" Tierno shouted joyously, as Trevor let out a sigh of relief.

"We're safe now…" Trevor muttered. As they spoke, Team Rocket could be heard declaring to the world that they themselves saved everyone from destruction. No one bothered to question this however, as they were all too overcome with excitement that their world was now safe.

Moments later, Zygarde began to float up into the sky and glow in a bundle of green light. Several waves of energy then wafted among the night sky, causing it to return back to its natural, blue color. Once it had reached Lumiose, Shauna raced straight toward the door and opened it. "Hey, everyone! Look!" Shauna shouted as Sawyer, Trevor, and Tierno followed her outside. All the vines in the area were beginning to glow in a bright field of green energy, transform into tiny particles of light, and vanish.

"All the vines are disappearing!" Tierno cheered.

"That's so great!" Trevor exclaimed.

As Sawyer gazed at the beautiful sight in front of him, a wide smile spread across his face. The heavy amount of suspense that he had felt for nearly the entire night finally lifted from his shoulders, and he had his idol to thank for it. _I knew you could do it, Ash…_ he thought to himself.

If you wish to see the battle unfold from Ash's perspective, you can feel free to watch episode 43: Forming a More Perfect Union!, or move on to the next chapter. While I am in a generous mood, I would like to thank you Lazy Larrys for sticking with me and managing to put up with my snarkiness. It is much appreciated.


	42. A Rock of Endless Light

As they were looking out the window, Sawyer, Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno noticed that the sun was rising. It was not until that moment they realized they had spent the whole night attending to the citizens and worrying that the world would be destroyed as they knew it. After the citizens were ready to go home, Nurse Joy allowed the four exhausted trainers to stay for the night, or at least the last two hours of the night, at the Pokemon Center. Once they had peace and quiet to themselves at last, they all passed out within seconds. Next thing they knew, they were waking up at noon. Even though their schedules were all way off, they were all in much better shape to help clean up the aftermath of the disaster. Before they could do so however, they were visited by a familiar face: Diantha.

"Hey, everyone," the young Champion said, as everybody in the room gazed at her in astonishment upon seeing her enter the building.

"Diantha!" Sawyer cheered, racing toward her as Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno followed him close behind.

"Good to see you again!" Tierno said.

"I'm glad you're doing alright!" Shauna added.

"Everyone's doing just fine," Diantha stated. "Even Chespie. After Ash and Alain saved Chespie, it finally woke up."

"That's great news!" Trevor shouted joyously.

"Oh, Mairin must be so relieved!" Shauna remarked.

"I came here to thank all of you for all the help you provided for the city," Diantha stated. "You helped dozens of people in need, and I can't thank you enough for all your hard work."

"Eh, it was no big deal…" Tierno replied.

"It was," Diantha said with complete confidence. "Your courage and determination helped save the lives of countless people. And Sawyer, your leadership skills was what allowed the four of you to get together and save all those people. I can tell that your journey has taken you a long way."

Sawyer's eyes glimmered. It meant so much to him to know that the Kalos Champion recognized just how much he had grown over the course of his journey. "Thanks, Diantha!" he cheered. "I'm really glad that I could help!"

"Oh, that's right," Diantha said, turning toward Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno. "Professor Sycamore told me that he has a favor to ask of you."

"What's that?" Trevor asked.

"You see, while the vines were attacking Lumiose city, all the wild Pokemon living here fled," Diantha explained. "Professor Sycamore is looking for a reliable group of trainers to search for those Pokemon and let them know that it's safe to come back, and he couldn't think of a trio better fit for the job than you three."

"No joke?" Tierno asked.

"That's amazing!" Trevor cheered.

"We'd be more than happy to help," Shauna declared before she turned toward Trevor and Tierno. "Right, guys?"

Both trainers nodded with an enthused smile.

"That's wonderful, you three. Thank you. Professor Sycamore will let you know the all details at his lab," Diantha stated. "And Sawyer. I've got someone here who would like to congratulate you as well."

"You do?" Sawyer asked, as Diantha looked outside to her left and smiled. Next thing Sawyer knew, another trainer was coming through the entrance. But not just any trainer… As soon as he walked through the door, Sawyer recognized him instantly. "Steven Stone!" he squealed as he tightened his fists, barely able to speak. "It's r-really you!"

"Good to see you again, Sawyer. Looks like you're doing well," his idol remarked with a genuine smile, before looking toward his Sceptile, who was standing right beside its awe-struck trainer. "So, your Treecko evolved into Sceptile, and you obtained a Mega Stone. I can see that the two of you have come a long way since we last met."

"We sure have!" Sawyer declared. "Sceptile and I have gained lots of experience, and the two of us have battled together a whole bunch!"

"_Sceptile!_" Sawyer's Pokemon cheered, nodding its head.

"So, what are you doing here, Steven?" Sawyer asked.

"I came here because I have a favor to ask of you," Steven replied. "I'm sure you saw that giant object chasing after the Anistar Sundial on TV. You see, that object is called the Giant Rock."

"Giant Rock?" Sawyer repeated, wondering if Steven was joking. What kind of a name is "The Giant Rock"?

"It is an ancient rock that contains a massive amount of Primal energy," Steven stated. "I say 'is' because it seems to have disappeared before, just as it did this morning. But then, a little while later, the Giant Rock reappeared in Rustboro City, and caused a clash between the two Legendary Pokemon Groudon and Kyogre."

"Groudon and Kyogre…?" Sawyer asked, remembering that those two were ancient Pokemon from his home region who were believed to have formed the land and sea. "I've heard of those Pokemon…"

"That rock is definitely still shrouded in mystery, and I believe that someday, it will reappear, just as it did in Rustboro City," Steven stated. "I'm planning on heading back to the ruins of Lysandre Labs to look for more evidence on if or when it will appear again. It wouldn't hurt to have a bit of help gathering the information, and that's where I'm thinking you could come in. That is if you wouldn't mind."

"M-Me?" Sawyer stammered as he became as still as a statue. Just when he thought running into Steven completely by chance was enough of a turning point in his journey, he was completely proven wrong. He never would have dreamt that he would have the opportunity to actually work alongside Steven. Sawyer could feel his heart racing in his chest as he began to feel woozy and lightheaded.

"I saw how well you and your Pokemon battled during the Kalos League," Steven remarked. "You had a plan for how you would counter each of Ash's Pokemon's unique battle styles, and you did a phenomenal job bringing those tactics together. Plus, I know how eager you are when it comes to learning more about Pokemon. I'm sure you would be a great person work alongside as I research the Giant Rock. Not to mention, your courage and leadership skills saved dozens of lives. It's the least I can do as a thank you for all that you've done. What do you say, Sawyer?"

Sawyer did not respond.

"Sawyer?" Steven repeated.

By this point, Sawyer could barely hear what Steven was saying. As he stared blankly at his idol's face, his vision started to blur, and he began to see purple spots instead. Sawyer then started to zone out as his legs grew increasingly weak. "Y-You want… research me help… giant with… r-rock…?" he mumbled, before giving way to his dizziness and tumbling backward into Sceptile's arms, still somewhat conscious but barely able to sense his surroundings. None of this alarmed Sawyer however, as he was too thrilled about being offered to help Steven Stone. While Shauna, Trevor, Tierno and Nurse Joy all widened their eyes in shock and worry, Sawyer happily dreamt for the next five seconds of him standing to the left of Steven Stone at the ruins of Lysandre Labs, hard at work on their research.

Steven, knowing that Sawyer was okay, chuckled and then turned toward Diantha. "Well, I'd call that a yes, wouldn't you?" Steven asked, to which Diantha replied with an agreeing nod.

Seconds later, Sawyer woke up slightly embarrassed that he passed out, though happy that he got to get an early glimpse of what was yet to come. He then gladly accepted Steven's offer, knowing that it would be a great way to repay him for the Key Stone he gave him back in Rustboro City. Sawyer's plans were set on heading to Lysandre Labs after he visited Ash one more time to make sure he and his friends were okay. The next morning, Shauna received a call from Serena asking if she would be up for helping her put on a Pokemon Performance exhibition as a way of helping the citizens recover from the Team Flare incident. Shauna agreed to perform alongside her, with Sawyer, Trevor and Tierno all agreeing to lend a hand too. If you would like to see this happen for yourself, please feel free to watch episode 45 of Pokemon the Series: XYZ, The First Day of the Rest of Your Life!

After helping Serena put on the performance, and joining in on the dancing, Sawyer and Ash said farewell to one another and promised to battle when they met once more. Sawyer then made his way to the ruins of Lysandre Labs, knowing that a world of adventures was awaiting him just around the corner.

Although Sawyer may not have managed to win the Kalos League, or surpass his rival, he felt proud knowing that his dedication and hard work had led him somewhere. Somewhere he knew that a bright future was awaiting him. If it was not for his hard work, he never would have been able to provide so much help for the citizens of Lumiose or get the chance to work alongside Steven Stone. It goes to show that even if your achievements do not lead you to your ultimate goal the first time around, it can still lead to a world of opportunities. Plus, who's to say you cannot try a second time? No one can stop you from reaching for your dreams but yourself. As long as one stays determined and willing to not give up, anybody can achieve their goal. How do you think a sixteen-year-old was able to plan out this entire fanfiction and write it all in only six months?


End file.
